#SIQUAKE2020 HOST NATION SUPPORT WORKSHOP

A Host Nation Support Workshop is taking place from 18 – 19 September 2019 in Austria Trend Hotel in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The workshop is based on a scenario of an earthquake that would strike central Slovenian region, including Ljubljana and surrounding municipalities. For that reason, the hypothetical earthquake would represent the worst possible scenario with causing great consequences. A request of Republic of Slovenia for international assistance would be necessary in order to complementary provide proper response, protection, rescue and relief of national capacities.

Slovenia could launch a request for international assistance based on bilateral agreements and through Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) where procedures for requesting and providing assistance are prescribed. For easier coordination of received assistance, the EU Guidelines on Host Nation Support (HNS) and national HNS guidelines for international assistance in the event of a natural or other disaster in the Republic of Slovenia were adopted (national HNS guidelines in 2018). Their objective is to define the key activities, roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in all stages of receiving international assistance for effective support to the national emergency response capacities.

Participants of the HNS workshop are representatives of state and other institutions, that are according to the national HNS guidelines responsible for conducting support to international assistance in case of request: Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Slovenian Army, General Police Directorate, Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance – Financial Administration, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning – Administration of Nuclear Safety, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning – Administration of Nuclear Safety – Agency of environment, Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Ministry of Culture, Agency for Communication Networks and Services, Slovenian Firefighter Association, Slovenian Red Cross, Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, Slovenian Railways, and representatives of Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Slovenia. The aim of the workshop is the familiarisation of participants with steps within all stages of acceptance of international assistance, internalisation of sectoral responsibilities, creating situational awareness and needs assessment, identification of gaps, and nonetheless preparedness for HNS activities.

The workshop is done in cooperation between national and international lecturers, the former presenting case studies from national HNS experience. Moreover, group work is facilitated by national and international trainers and a workshop followed by project consortium partners.