THE HAGUE, Netherlands—11 December 2019 —The Government of Portugal has contributed €40,000 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 Portugal to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Rosa Batoréu.
The Director-General expressed: “I thank the Government of Portugal 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.”
Ambassador Batoréu stated: “The OPCW is an essential pillar of the international disarmament and security architecture, and Portugal remains strongly committed to supporting its mission to achieve a world free of chemical weapons and of the threat of their use.”
She further remarked: “Portugal trusts that the new ChemTech Centre will provide significant collective benefits, as it becomes a leader in research, analysis, training and capacity building. The Centre will also reinvigorate the Organisation’s ability to adapt to science and technology developments while giving a valuable thrust to its verification, detection and response activities as well as to enhancing international cooperation.” She also commented that Portugal highly appreciates the work of the OPCW and is honoured to be able to contribute to timely completion of this important project.
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, boost its investigative capability, and enhance capacity building activities. He highlighted that “all contributions, regardless of size, are greatly appreciated”.
So far, twenty-seven States Parties and the European Union have contributed or pledged to contribute financially to the project, and a considerable amount has been raised to date.
