From 7 to 8 March 2007, the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, attended the inaugural basic training course for OPCW inspectors, hosted by the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND). Director-General Pfirter observed the training exercises and awarded the graduating inspectors their certification diplomas at the Counter Terrorism Technology Centre (CTTC), which is a unit of Defence Research and Development Canada Suffield, at Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Alberta, Canada.
The Deputy Director-General of Defence R&D Canada – Suffield, Mr. Clément Laforce, reiterated Canada’s strong support for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC); added that Canada’s Defence Research and Development community was delighted to be able to make a tangible contribution that would assist the OPCW in achieving the CWC’s objective of the verifiable destruction of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, and the establishment of a chemical weapons-free world; and highlighted how appropriate it was that the OPCW was the first international organization to make use of the newly-constructed live-agent training facilities at CTTC.
In his graduation address, Director-General Pfirter expressed on behalf of the OPCW his thanks to the Government of Canada for its abiding and constructive support of the OPCW in its mission to rid the world of chemical weapons. He emphasized his appreciation for Canada’s consistent commitment to ensuring that the OPCW Technical Secretariat continues to receive the resources it requires to fulfil its mandate to a high standard. Director-General Pfirter commended the graduating inspectors for completing a demanding course and looked forward to their contribution in the on-site verification of the CWC.
The two-week basic training for inspectors was provided in state-of-the-art facilities where inspectors received a solid grounding in several disciplines, including: basic safety procedures and operations in individual protective equipment; detection, characterization and identification of chemical warfare agents; and procedures for decontamination and treatment of exposure to toxic chemicals. OPCW inspectors have conducted over 2,800 inspections at more than 1,050 sites in 76 countries. The inspectors are trained to verify compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention on-site at military and commercial sites, as well as to investigate allegations of the use of chemical weapons and to monitor chemical weapons destruction. The training provides the basis for executing these duties in a safe and effective manner to the exacting standards called for by the CWC.
PR13 / 2007