H.E. Mr. Peter Wilson UK Ambassador..
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – 8 July 2020 – The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has contributed a further £100,000 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 between OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, and the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Peter Wilson, which was held at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.
Ambassador Wilson remarked: “I am delighted that the UK is supporting this flagship project of the OPCW for the second year running with a contribution to help fund the project management team. The team’s work is vital to ensuring that the new ChemTech Centre enhances the OPCW’s ability to rid the world of chemical weapons.”
The Director-General expressed: “I thank the Government of the United Kingdom for this second 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.
