Greater security against attacks in public spaces

The CT Public Spaces project, the aim of which is to prevent and reduce terrorist attacks and their effects on public spaces in Ghana, Kenya and Senegal, has been formally presented to the General Directorate of the Guardia Civil. This European Union-financed project, implemented by the Guardia Civil and managed by the FIIAPP, will run for three years. 

Although the official launch of the project has been delayed due to the pandemic, activities have already begun on the ground, with specific training in the protection of public spaces for police personnel in the three African countries in which it operates. To carry out these activities, the project has specialists from the Guardia Civil’s Rural Action Unit and the European Union’s High Risk Safety Network (EU-HRSN). 

The Guardia Civil has valuable experience preventing terrorist attacks in public spaces, which can be of enormous value to other countries. The CT Public Spaces project is committed to sharing this knowledge and experience with other parts of the world where security management at events with a large influx of members of the public is a challenge. This represents the first stage of the action plan for the protection of public spaces outside European borders. 

The activities have involved command and control technical training, precision shooters, intervention dogs and risk analysis methods, among other areas. These training activities have been delivered to professionals from institutions such as the Kenyan National Police, the Ghanaian Police and the Senegalese National Gendarmerie. These police officers replicate the training in their countries with the support of specialists from the Guardia Civil and the EU-HRSN. 

The event was attended by the director general of the Guardia Civil, María Gámez and Anna Terrón, the director of FIIAPP, as well as by representatives from the partner countries. 

The CT Public Spaces project is designed to prevent and reduce terrorist attacks and their impact in public spaces. The director general of the Guardia Civil, María Gámez pointed out that the project is undoubtedly necessary, as many lives can be saved, in addition to improving stability and security, basic tenets which promote the development of any country. Public spaces may reflect both conflict and coexistence; they are critical places and must be protected. 

“Security is a prerequisite to any process of stabilisation and inclusive development. The development community is clear that the priority is on ensuring that people can develop their daily lives in a dignified way” underlined Anna Terrón, director of FIIAPP. 

Javier Hernández, Guardia Civil Colonel and the project coordinator, added that “security and development always go hand-in-hand. There can be no development if there is no stability”.