Rabat – Under the Very High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), the Mohammed V Military Hospital in Rabat hosted, from May 13 to 16, the third edition of the joint activity under the European eNovation program, focusing on the fight against biological, chemical, and toxic threats.

Organized in partnership with the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST), this scientific and security-focused event brought together experts from 22 countries across Europe and Africa’s Atlantic seaboard. The objective: to strengthen collective capacities against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, enhance technological exchange, and promote coordinated international responses to cross-border health emergencies.

The four-day event featured a comprehensive program of conferences, workshops, emergency simulations, and tabletop exercises, uniting civilian and military experts, health professionals, and researchers from France, Europe, and the African continent.

A notable highlight of the event was a realistic simulation exercise involving a suspected case of MPOX (Monkeypox). Conducted at the Center for Virology, Infectious and Tropical Diseases within the hospital, the drill demonstrated Morocco’s proactive approach to epidemic preparedness and standardization of procedures for managing high-risk, contagious diseases.

Doctor Colonel-Major Khalid Ennibi, Chief Medical Officer at the Center, emphasized that this international exercise forms part of His Majesty’s vision to modernize military medicine, especially in response to emerging and re-emerging biological threats.

International praise followed. Yves Van Haute, international coordinator at Belgium’s National Crisis Center, applauded Morocco’s strategic role in the eNovation project, noting its success in expanding cooperation across Africa. He stressed the importance of training first responders in advanced CBRN protocols and fostering cross-continental collaboration.

Similarly, Ndtoungou Schouame Patrice Thierry, Divisional Commissioner for Health Training at Cameroon’s General Delegation for National Security, commended the value of experience sharing and the relevance of the simulation to African realities.

This initiative, positioned at the intersection of international cooperation and health security, reaffirms Morocco’s regional leadership in addressing CBRN threats and global health crises.