By Joelle Khadra
Images courtesy of the author
ARZ 2025 is a major national CBRN exercise conducted in Beirut under the auspices of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon held this November. It brought together Lebanese ministries, security forces, first responders, technical agencies, and international partners for a demanding program of scenarios designed to test real operational readiness.
In all, more than 400 participants from 10 national institutions took part in the exercise. Held at the Port of Beirut, ARZ 2025 challenged participating entities through two complex real-world scenarios:
- A chemical incident escalating into a mass-casualty event
- The loss of a Category 1 radiological source triggering a hostage situation.
The professionalism displayed by Lebanese teams — supported by the EU, Fondazione SAFE, UNICRI, UNDP, ISTC and international evaluators — was evident throughout the preparatory sessions, field operations, and post-scenario evaluations.
The participation of CBRN Women in this national exercise marked an important milestone. Represented by Joelle Khadra as an evaluator, the initiative underscores the essential role of women in strengthening CBRN preparedness and response.
Also Read: All-Women Training on Chemical Weapons Response
Women’s presence in such high-stakes environments is not only a matter of inclusion — it is a strategic necessity. Their contributions bring diverse perspectives to risk assessment, crisis management, leadership, and operational decision-making. In fields where precision, communication, and multidisciplinary coordination are vital, women’s engagement enhances both the quality and the effectiveness of national response capabilities.
By integrating women’s expertise at every stage — from planning to evaluation — ARZ 2025 demonstrated Lebanon’s commitment to building a more resilient, representative, and future-ready CBRN ecosystem.
