The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, and the Assistant Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Faisal bin Jabur Al Doseri, on 9 June met online to discuss progress in the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
The Director-General briefed the Assistant Foreign Minister on the OPCW's recent developments in fulfilling its mandate, particularly through adapting to the constraints imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He underlined the Organisation's efforts to address the threat from chemical weapons use and intensify international cooperation and assistance to promote the peaceful uses of chemistry. Director-General Arias also provided an update on plans to build a new OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology just outside The Hague in the Netherlands.
The Assistant Foreign Minister, who is also President of the National Committee on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, remarked: "The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the extensive efforts of the Director-General and the Technical Secretariat to eradicate the use of chemical weapons across the world, no matter what the circumstances may be. The Kingdom of Bahrain steadfastly supports the work of the OPCW and will always stand against any threat to international peace and security. We are looking forward to furthering cooperation, advancing the work of both entities, and to promoting a world free of chemical weapons."
The Director-General stressed: "I commend Bahrain's staunch support for our common vision of a world free of chemical weapons. In light of current challenges, Member States must advance international cooperation, build capacity to withstand chemical threats, and reinforce the norm against chemical weapons. Bahrain's efforts make a strong contribution towards achieving these goals."
Background
Bahrain has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997.
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.
Over 98% of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
