The Secretary-General of the International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO), Mr. Arguj Kalantarli, attended the EU MODEX Switzerland 2026 field exercise, which brings together civil protection teams and authorities from several countries to strengthen international cooperation, preparedness and operational coordination.

Organized within the framework of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), the exercise provides an opportunity to test civil protection capacities under realistic conditions, with a particular focus on interoperability, communication and coordination among international teams.

Hosted by Switzerland for the first time, the exercise is taking place in Epeisses in the Canton of Geneva and Payerne in the Canton of Vaud, bringing together around 500 participants from Swiss and international civil protection organizations and partner institutions.

During his visit, the ICDO Secretary-General observed the ongoing exercise activities and met with colleagues involved in civil protection and emergency preparedness. The visit provided an opportunity to exchange views on the importance of strengthening international cooperation, operational readiness and coordination in responding to disasters that may exceed national capacities.

The ICDO commends Switzerland, the European Union, participating teams and all partners involved for their contribution to strengthening civil protection preparedness and international response capacities.