By Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, Director-General, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The OPCW and its States Parties marked an important yet somber commemoration as it relates to our mission to rid the world of chemical weapons. On 21 April, the town of Ieper in Belgium hosted a commemorative event by the OPCW marking one hundred years since the first large-scale use of chemical weapons during World War I. Attended by nearly one hundred Ambassadors and over three hundred participants, the event called attention to the important mission of our organisation, and it reaffirmed our determination to achieve a future forever free from these terrible weapons.
A century ago, in Flanders, chlorine gas was used as a weapon for the first time, initiating the widespread use of chemical weapons throughout World War I. That first use in fields near Ieper resulted in the death of 5,000 soldiers, with twice that number wounded by the chemical attack. The pervasiveness of chemical weapons throughout the war would leave over 90,000 dead by the end of the war, with over a million injured by such brutal weapons.
At the historic gathering in Ieper, our 190 States Parties issued a declaration reiterating their commitment to ban the production, use and possession of chemical weapons. The “Ieper Declaration” honoured the memory of all victims of chemical warfare, and it is intended to serve as a lasting reminder of our shared commitment and firm resolve to ensure that chemical weapons are never again made or used.
Many are not aware that some of the earliest efforts to prohibit these toxic weapons began in The Hague, well before their frequent use in World War I. Negotiated at two international peace conferences in 1899 and 1907, The Hague Conventions were formative attempts to prohibit the use of chemical weapons under international law. These initial efforts, and the 1925 Geneva Protocol, eventually led to the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty that bans the use, possession and development of an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997, the OPCW, the organisation charged with implementing the treaty, has made significant progress in realising the goal of a world free of these barbarous weapons. The Organisation has so far overseen the destruction of 87% of existing stocks of chemical weapons spanning 98% of the world’s territory and population. We anticipate that all remaining stocks will be destroyed within the next eight years. This will be the first time that an entire class of weapons of mass destruction will have been eliminated under international verification. This development will certainly be a major milestone towards global peace and security. Furthermore, we hope that the remaining six countries will join the OPCW in the near future in order to achieve full universality of the Convention.
As the internationally recognised city for peace and justice, The Hague is uniquely suited to host an organisation that is working to ensure a world free of chemical weapons.
During my tenure as Director-General, the OPCW has enjoyed excellent relations with the City of The Hague, especially our strong personal and professional links with Mayor Jozias van Aartsen and his team. This past month, it was a great honour to join Deputy Mayor, Ms Ingrid van Engelshoven, in Washington to showcase The Hague’s international institutions during Hague Week. Additionally, to create a lasting legacy of the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the OPCW, the Organisation, in partnership with the City of The Hague, established the annual “OPCW-The Hague Award.” This award is intended to honour and recognise individuals and non-profit, non-governmental organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to advance the goals of global chemical disarmament. And we continue to reach out to students by giving lectures and presentations on our mission, and open our doors to residents of the city on the city’s annual International Day.
We cannot imagine a more fitting home for the OPCW than The Hague. As we move towards a future free from chemical weapons, we look forward to strengthening our bonds with our host city in our common pursuit of a more just and peaceful world.
