A workshop on efforts to bolster collaborative chemical forensics analytical capabilities and serve as a crucial deterrent to those who would maliciously misuse chemical materials was held at the Cyprus Center for Land Open Seas and Port Security (CYCLOPS) in Larnaca, hosted by the US Department of State's Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism. Entitled 'Saharan Fox,' the workshop focused on strengthening forensics support for chemical terrorism investigations, with expertise provided by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). It was held from July 16 - 18, a US Embassy press release said. "Saharan Fox" gathered 50 government stakeholders and practitioners from Algeria, Cameroon, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, and Yemen. Additionally, experts from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention at the University of Helsinki, the Netherlands Forensic Institute, the United Kingdom MOD Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation contributed their insights. Participants discussed enhancing the international community's ability to leverage chemical forensic science in investigations involving chemical weapons. They explored the role and limitations of forensic science and examined methods to support national and international efforts in holding perpetrators of chemical attacks accountable, the press release added. The workshop underscored "the collaborative efforts of the United States, the Republic of Cyprus, and participating countries in improving information sharing for criminal investigations involving chemical materials." These discussions aimed to strengthen investigative procedures and regional security cooperation, enhancing chemical forensics analytical capabilities and serving as a significant deterrent against the malicious use of chemical substances, it concluded. Source: Cyprus News Agency