Permanent Representative of Germany to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Christine Weil and H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, OPCW Director General.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – 13 March 2020 – The Government of Germany has contributed €1,000,000 to a special Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Trust Fund to support the project to upgrade the current OPCW Laboratory and Equipment Store. This project will result in the construction of a new facility, the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (“ChemTech Centre”).
The contribution was formalised during a ceremony at the OPCW Headquarters between OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, and the Permanent Representative of Germany to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Christine Weil.
Ambassador Weil remarked: “We are proud to contribute €1M to the new ChemTech Centre, a major future-oriented project of the OPCW. With the new Centre, the OPCW will gain important capabilities, including in the field of training and capacity-building for young scientists from all regions.”
The Director-General expressed: “I thank the Government of Germany for this major contribution to the new OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology that will further build the capabilities of our Member States to achieve a world free of chemical weapons.”
Director-General Arias appealed to all OPCW States Parties in a position to make voluntary contributions to do so. He further emphasised the important role the new ChemTech Centre will play in strengthening the OPCW’s ability to address chemical weapon threats and enhance capacity building activities. He highlighted that “all contributions, regardless of size, are greatly appreciated”.
So far, thirty-seven States Parties and the European Union have contributed or pledged to contribute financially to the ChemTech Centre project, and a considerable amount has been raised to date.
