The aim of the project is the staff of the Crisis Management Centerat the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BMFA) to be welltrained and prepared to react effectively in case of occurrence of avariety of crises abroad in which Bulgarian or unrepresented EUcitizens are affected. The activity will include study visit to Oslo, Norway, where at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA) an exchange experience seminar will be held. Bulgarian officials will be acquainted with the Norwegian experience from crisis management and how NMFA is organized to handle consular crises. Additionally an informational tour of NMFA’s offices will be made with sharing of information about technical infrastructure and solutions used by the Norwegian colleagues in a crisis. Second exchange experience seminar will be held in Sofia,Bulgaria, at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At that seminar, the Norwegian colleagues will be made familiar with the Bulgarian experience and practice in the field of crises response. Other goal is to launch a mobile application for crisis response,which will upgrade significantly the equipment and the capacity of the Bulgarian MFA’s Crisis Management Center to react, help or evacuate Bulgarian citizens suffering distress abroad.
Main objectives of the project initiatives:
- Creating a long-term partnership, exchange of good practices in the field of crisis preparedness and response;
- Improving knowledge of crisis / emergency response and evacuation;
- To serve as a basis for developing a methodology for responding to crises for the needs of the Foreign Ministry, consulates and diplomatic missions;
- To develop a tool for support in crisis situations;
- Improving the institutional capacity to respond to crises /emergencies and evacuation;
- Creation of an additional opportunity for connection of citizens, in case of urgent need;
- Equipment of a crisis management center in the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- Ensuring security of Bulgarian and unrepresented EU citizens in third countries and better opportunities to respond in case of crises /emergencies and evacuation;
- Promotion of the project and the results of the project to the widest possible audience;
- Promoting the role of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
Total budget: € 200 000,00 (BGN 391 166,00);
Project initiative name: Completion and equipment of Crisis Management Center at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Number of project initiative: DFPO-1.003-0001-C01
Beneficiary: Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Partner: Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Start of implementation: 15.10.2021
Duration: 21 months