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OPCW and Syria
The OPCW is following the recent media reports and other published information on developments in Syria. The Organisation is also preparing for various contingencies to respond to events there within its mandate. For all OPCW-related news, information and media releases on developments in Syria, visit our special web page.
Director-General Participates in Symposium on Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Programme
Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü participated with senior U.S. officials and academicians in a symposium on 3 December 2012 entitled “Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR): Partnering for a More Secure World”. The symposium was held in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the CTR programme at the National Defense University in Washington D.C and featured an address by U.S. President Barack Obama. Read the release
Seventeenth Session of the Conference of the States Parties
The Seventeenth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CSP-17) has concluded. Documents from the Conference are being added as they become available.
The UN Secretary-General’s Message to Seventeenth Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention - Delivered by Mr. Jarmo Sareva, Deputy Secretary-General of Conference on Disarmament.
UN Secretary-General, OPCW Director-General Urge States not Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention to Join without Delay
The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and the OPCW Director-General, Mr. Ahmet Üzümcü, have addressed a joint communication to the heads of State or Government of each of the eight States that are not Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Read the press release
OPCW Director-General Addresses UN General Assembly
Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, the OPCW Director-General, visited New York on 19 November 2012 where he addressed the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. He submitted the annual report of the OPCW’s activities and implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 2010, and a draft report for 2011, for consideration by the body. Read the press release
Monument to Victims of Chemical Weapons Unveiled at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague
An elegant new monument dedicated to victims of chemical weapons was unveiled in the garden of the OPCW headquarters in The Hague during an afternoon ceremony on 26 November 2012, the first day of the 17th Session of the Conference of the States Parties. Read the press release
President of Senegal Visits the OPCW
The President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Mr Macky Sall, visited the OPCW today and met with Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü and OPCW Permanent Representatives: H.E. Mr Willy Debuck of Belgium, Vice-Chair of the Conference of States Parties; H.E. Mrs Bhaswati Mukherjee of India, Chairperson of the Executive Council; and H.E. Mrs. Ruthie Chepkoech Rono of Kenya, dean of the African caucus of the diplomatic corps in The Hague. Read the press release
High-Level Meeting at the UN in New York to Mark 15 Years of the OPCW
The OPCW held a high-level meeting at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 1 October 2012. Convened to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the OPCW, with the theme: “Fifteen Years of the Chemical Weapons Convention: Celebrating Success. Committing to the Future”, the meeting was designed to renew the commitment of the international community to the Convention’s aims and objectives.
OPCW's 15th Anniversary and The Hague Week of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation has now concluded
We will be posting video and other content from the events in the coming weeks. Thank you for participating!
Press Release: Flag-hoisting Marks Beginning of Week-long Series of Events to Commemorate the OPCW’s 15th Anniversary
Speech: Director-General's Remarks during the flag-hoisting ceremony, 31st August 2012 [PDF - 20 KB]
View: 15th Anniversary Website
Preparations Begin for 3rd Review Conference
The Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) for preparation of the Third Review Conference of the States Parties of the Chemical Weapons Convention to review the operation of the Convention held its first meeting on 7 June 2012. The Conference will be held from 8 to 19 April 2013 in The Hague. Read more
Libya and the OPCW
The recent crisis in Libya has highlighted the role of the OPCW in eliminating the world’s stockpiles of chemical weapons. Read more
Deputy Director-General Visits Nepal, Opens Sub-regional Seminar on Chemical Safety and Security Management
The OPCW Deputy Director-General, Mrs Grace Asirwatham, paid an official visit to the Federal Republic of Nepal on 17 and 18 December 2012 and met with the Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Mr Narayan Kaji...20 December 2012Full story
Deputy Director-General Visits Japan
The OPCW Deputy Director-General, Mrs Grace Asirwatham, visited Japan from 3 to 5 December 2012 at the invitation of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She called on the Parliamentary Vice-Minister...18 December 2012Full story
Director-General Visits Qatar for High Level Meetings and Opens Regional Seminar on Chemical Safety and Security Management
Paying an official visit on 11 and 12 December 2012, Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü met the State of Qatar’s Minister of Industry, H.E. Dr. Mohamed bin Saleh al Sada, Chief of Staff, H.E. Major...11 December 2012Full story
OPCW Deputy Director-General Addresses Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention
The Deputy Director-General, Mrs Grace Asirwatham, addressed the opening session today of the 2012 Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), which is taking place at the...10 December 2012Full story
Statement by the OPCW Director-General on Syria
For the first time in the history of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered into force in April 1997, there are serious concerns that chemical weapons might be used. The CWC’s Preamble,...07 December 2012Full story
List of links to recent journal articles on chemical disarmament, non-proliferation and other related issues.
Time for Angola to Ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention Institute for Security Studies
Noel Stott, 11 December 2012
How to prevent the spread and use of Syria's chemical weapons Christian Science Monitor
Daryl Kimball and Paul Walker, 11 December 2012
Civil society contributions to the operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention VERTIC
Scott Spence, 29 November 2012
Reflections on Education about the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) with a View to Sensitizing African Chemistry Educators EC2E2N NewsLetter November 2012, Vol.13, N.5
Temechegn Engida, 26 November 2012
Blisters and Sanctions Middle East Research and Information Project
Shahriar Khateria and Narges Bajoghli, 25 November 2012
These links are being provided for information purposes only. The views and opinions expressed in the publications are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the OPCW. Items are posted here as a service to website readers and do not imply endorsement by the OPCW. The OPCW does not provide any guarantee, expressed or implied, that the information presented is accurate or timely, and does not contain inadvertent technical or factual inaccuracies. The OPCW is not responsible for the content of third party websites.
Seventy-First Session of the Executive Council
The Seventy-First Session of the Executive Council will be held from 19 - 22 February, 2013. Documents will be added as they become available.
Call for Nominations for a Basic Course for Personnel of National Authorities Involved in the National Implementation of the CWC
The Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) is pleased to announce that a four-day basic course for the personnel of National Authorities will be held at theHeadquarters of the OPCW in The Hague, the Netherlands, from 12 to 15 March 201...
Third Review Conference of the States Parties of the Chemical Weapons Convention
The Third Review Conference of the States Parties of the Chemical Weapons Convention will be held from 8 - 19 April, 2013.
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Third Annual Summer Programme on WMD Disarmament & Non-Proliferation
Statistics
188 nations, 98% of the global population, have joined the OPCW.
53,661, or 75.37%, of the world's declared stockpile of 71,196 metric tonnes of chemical agent have been destroyed.
4,779 inspections have taken place at 211 chemical weapon-related and 1,103 industrial sites on the territory of 81 States Parties since April 1997. Worldwide, 4,913 industrial facilities are liable to inspection.