Division PART 2: Project 1 Capacity building for OSI techno

Project: OSI Regional Introductory Courses for 2 CTBT Geographical Regions

Background

OSI Regional Introductory Courses (RIC) have proven to be fundamental in strengthening the CTBT’s verification regime, specifically in the development of an OSI Inspectorate Training Program and in the nomination of surrogate inspector trainee candidates for that programme from Signatory States.

The Commission is in the final stages of the OSI Surrogate Inspector 3rd Training Cycle. The geographical and gender distribution of this current training cycle is statistically the most diverse trainee population compared to the 1st and 2nd Training cycles.

Records show a correlation between the increased numbers of nominees from a geographical region after the conduct of a RIC. The 2 most recent RICs (conducted in Argentina in 2019 and South Africa in 2016) showed a substantial increase in expert nominees from the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region and Africa respectively, both of which were previously underrepresented regions in OSI training activities. The percentage of post-RIC representation for the LAC region however, did not match that of Africa, simply because the RIC in Africa was conducted immediately prior to the start of the 3rd Training Cycle, whilst the RIC in Argentina was conducted 2 years later during the middle of the training cycle.

While RICs have been conducted biennially in the past, this project proposes to conduct 2 RICS in 2 different CTBT geographical regions within 12 months of each other, in order to have the broadest geographical and gender pool of trainees prior to the start of the 4th OSI Surrogate Inspector Training Program.

Objectives

OSI Regional Introductory Courses have two objectives:

• to acquaint national technical experts and personnel from the States Signatories of the region with the OSI regime,

• to broaden the pool of experts from the States Signatories of the region who are available to participate in OSI-related activities and to identify potential candidates for the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) roster of surrogate inspectors.

Outcome

Provision of foundational knowledge of the CTBT and its OSI-related provisions as well as an overview of OSI activities and equipment, using hands-on training for experts from States Signatories, in particular developing countries, resulting in an increase in nominations and participation in future OIS training programs.