The Hague, the Netherlands – 24 June 2020 – The Government of Indonesia has contributed RP 165,000,000 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 through an exchange of letters between OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, and the Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja.
Ambassador Puja remarked: “This contribution is a token of Indonesia’s enduring commitment to the future of the OPCW. Indonesia is humbled and honoured to join other Member States that invest in strengthening the OPCW and in upholding the Chemical Weapons Convention to safeguard the world from the threat of chemical weapons.”
He added: “It is Indonesia’s firm belief that the ChemTech Centre will serve to inspire young generations, including women, in the peaceful use of chemistry in particular and serve as a platform for all laboratories in pursuit of chemical development in general.”
The Director-General expressed: “I thank the Government of Indonesia for this 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. The continued commitment of OPCW Member States to this important project during these unprecedented times is especially meaningful.”
Director-General Arias appealed to all OPCW Member States 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, forty Member States 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.
