Consequence Management Exercise “CRNA GORA - 2016"

This was the sixteenth field exercise conducted by the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) since 2000, and the first hosted by Montenegro.

In total, some 680 participants from 31 NATO Allied and Partner countries took part in the event. Teams from 6 Allied and 11 Partner nations practiced disaster response mechanisms, exercised capabilities and demonstrated their ability to work together effectively in emergency situations. The exercise also contributed to strengthen the affected nation’s capacity to effectively coordinate crisis response operations. Also, 9 additional countries participated by sending staff for the exercise. Some 23 observers from 15 allied and partner nations attended the event.

The scenario for the exercise was based on a flood response and chemical incidents which affected the civil population and critical infrastructure in the exercise area around the capital city of Podgorica in the areas of the rivers Zeta and Moraca and the Lake Skadar.

The exercise scenario also included the clearance of land and underwater mines and unexploded ordnance shifted as a consequence of the flooding. The NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, supports the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro in acquiring an enhancing capabilities to detect, transport and dispose UXOs using state-of-the-art technologies which were showcased during the exercise.

To take stock of the lessons and best practices identified during the exercise, a Lessons Identified Conference will be organized in January 2017 with the support of the NATO Centre of Excellence for Crisis Management and Disaster Relief (CMDR CoE). The conference will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria.