Slovakia hosts the CTBTO’s 25th On-Site Inspection (OSI) Regional Introductory Course (RIC-25)

The Twenty-Fifth On-Site Inspection (OSI) Regional Introductory Course (RIC-25) is being held from 24 to 30 April 2023 at the facility of the National Council of Slovakia – Častá-Papiernička and its surrounding forest areas. RIC-25 is organized by the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in collaboration with Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (ÚJD SR), that serves as national competent authority for the cooperation with the CTBTO. The purpose of RIC-25 is to acquaint national technical experts and personnel from the States Signatories of the Eastern Europe (EE) region with the OSI regime; to broaden the pool of experts for participation in OSI related activities; as well as to identify potential candidates for the PTS roster of OSI surrogate inspectors and nominees for the Linear Training Programme. The course initiated with welcoming remarks delivered by Robert Floyd, the CTBTO Executive Secretary; Franz Ontal, Chief of the OSI Training Section, followed by remarks delivered on behalf of ÚJD SR by Eduard Metke, Vice-Chairperson, and Nataly Šubrtová, Director of the Division of International Relations and European Affairs.

National technical experts participating in RIC-25 will be trained during the week-long activity on various OSI inspection methods and techniques, such as communication, navigation and mapping, visual observation, environmental sampling, including health and safety measures. The participants will utilize these techniques in practice during the Field Team Exercise which is an essential element of the OSI training programme.

The training activities for future OSI inspectors are one of the fundamental means for building verification capacities of the CTBTO, as a necessary step for the future entry into force of the CTBT Treaty. Slovakia, as a steadfast and long-term reliable partner of the CTBTO strongly supports its mandate. Hosting of RIC-25, therefore, represents an important manifestation and practical contribution of Slovakia within the non-proliferation portfolio.