International Development Grant
Strengthen WHO response to deliberate chemical and biological weapons use
Project Number: CA-3-P006363001
Status: Closed
Country/Region: Unknown
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $10,140,398.00
Start Date: July 25, 2018
End Date: October 31, 2022
Duration: 4.3 years
Project Description
This project aims to further support the World Health Organization (WHO) in strengthening its Health Security Interface (HSI) Secretariat. It does so by developing a multidisciplinary deliberate event readiness and response team. Project activities include: (1) establishing a Health Security Interface Secretariat with clear objectives activities and deliverables; (2) delivering an annual meeting with WHO experts to define the scope and objectives of WHO’s HSI strategy; (3) revising and updating the WHO guidance document on biological and chemical agent response; and (4) planning and delivering stakeholder meetings to promote the WHO’s new HSI strategy.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) strengthened coordination by the WHO’s HSI-related activities; and (2) strengthened capacity of the WHO to guide global response to chemical and biological threats.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of December 2022 include: (1) developed a biosecurity and Health Security Protection Unit at the World Health Organization (WHO) to manage biosecurity risks; (2) the Health Security Interface (HSI) Technical Working Group appointed 18 new members from October 2022 to October 2025 and held annual meetings; (3) established the multi-disciplinary Deliberate Event Task Force and held 3 meetings in 2022 with 30 WHO members. The Task Force also facilitated stakeholder meetings to raise awareness of WHO’s HSI strategy among 12 WHO departments; (4) established the United Nations (UN) Bio Risk Working Group in August 2020. The working group engaged 30 UN entities and held 48 meetings; (5) developed 3 online training courses on deliberate event awareness case detection and management; (6) established deliberate event points of contact in the 8 UN organizations involved in deliberate event preparedness and response; and (7) publicized a WHO manual for detecting identifying and responding to biological and chemical deliberate events.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
WHO - World Health Organization
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Foreign Affairs and Trade Gs&Cs