CMDR COE Strengthens Dialogue on Crisis Response and Environmental Risks
Date: (03-06-2026)
The 14th Annual Conference of the CMDR COE on Crisis Management and Disaster Response, held jointly with the 4th International Conference on Environmental Protection and Disaster Risks, took place in Sofia from 1 to 3 June 2026 and brought together more than 100 experts.
The conference was officially opened by BG Lyubomir Monov, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria, and COL Orlin Nikolov, PhD, Director of CMDR COE. In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Monov highlighted the increasing importance of crisis management and disaster response for national security, Allied resilience, and collective preparedness in an increasingly complex security environment.
COL Orlin Nikolov welcomed participants and emphasised the role of the CMDR COE Annual Conference as a trusted professional platform for exchanging knowledge, sharing operational experience, presenting research, and strengthening cooperation among military and civilian experts, academia, international organisations, national institutions, emergency services, and private sector partners.
Over the three-day event, participants discussed a wide range of topics related to crisis management, disaster response, environmental protection, and resilience. The programme included keynote discussions and expert panels on NATO interoperability and support to Ukraine, risk intelligence, wildfire management, environmental risk research, high-performance computing, modelling and simulation, artificial intelligence, climate change and security implications, disaster medicine, air pollution, water resources, flooding, natural and human-induced hazards, business continuity management, and risk assessment.
A key focus of the conference was the connection between scientific research and practical decision-making. Experts examined how data, modelling, early warning, digital tools, innovation, and risk intelligence can support preparedness, improve response capabilities, and strengthen the resilience of institutions and societies.
The event brought together representatives of NATO structures, national authorities, scientific and academic institutions, civil protection organisations, international partners, and subject-matter experts from various countries. Their contributions supported an active exchange of ideas and practical experience on current and emerging risks.
The 14th Annual CMDR COE Conference and the 4th International Conference on Environmental Protection and Disaster Risks once again confirmed the importance of cooperation, interoperability, innovation, and shared expertise in addressing today’s complex crisis and disaster challenges.
CMDR COE thanks all keynote speakers, moderators, panellists, participants, and organising partners for their valuable contributions to the success of the conference.
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