By Roy Lie Atjam
The Twenty-Eighth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CSP-28) has started in The Hague on 27 November 2023. During the opening of the Conference, Ambassador Fernando Arias, the Director-General of the OPCW emphasized the importance of the conference in light of the current developments in peace and security, which increase the risk of chemical weapons utilization. As the highest decision-making body of the Organization, the Conference is to take decisive actions to maintain the norm against chemical weapons.
Take a look at the amazing milestones that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has achieved since the 27th session of the Conference of the States Parties (CSP-27). Here is one of the key events that have taken place over the past year.
The OPCW has achieved several milestones related to the implementation of the Convention. The end of destruction of all declared chemical weapons stockpiles. On 7 July 2023, the OPCW verified that all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by the 193 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1997, totalling 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agents, have been irreversibly destroyed under the OPCW’s strict verification regime.
This was an important milestone for the Organisation and a critical step towards achieving its mission to free the world of chemical weapons. It represented a historic success of multilateralism in the field of disarmament, and the work of a generation of diplomats and experts over the past 26 years. Kudos to the OPCW team!
The accomplishment recently achieved by the Organisation marks a significant milestone and a crucial step in their mission to eliminate chemical weapons globally. It is a monumental achievement in disarmament, made possible by the hard work of dedicated diplomats and experts over the past 26 years. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the OPCW team on this impressive feat.
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
