As at 2 July 2009, 180 of the 188 States Parties to the CWC have established or designated their National Authority.
In compliance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Dominican Republic has informed the OPCW that it has designated a focal point within the State Secretariat of the Armed Forces to assume the functions of National Authority.
A National Authority is crucial to ensuring the effective implementation of the Convention within a State Party’s national jurisdiction. To meet its basic obligations, each State Party must be able to submit all the required declarations, communicate with the OPCW, cooperate with other States Parties, facilitate OPCW inspections, respond to OPCW requests for assistance, protect the confidentiality of classified information, monitor and enforce national compliance, and cooperate in the peaceful uses of chemistry. States Parties are also obliged to declare and to eliminate all chemical weapons stockpiles and chemical weapons production facilities. The National Authority plays an indispensable role in all of these activities.
Article VII, paragraph 4 of the CWC states: “In order to fulfil its obligations under this Convention, each State Party shall designate or establish a National Authority to serve as the national focal point for effective liaison with the Organization and other States Parties. Each State Party shall notify the Organization of its National Authority at the time that this Convention enters into force for it.”
As at 2 July 2009, 180 of the 188 States Parties to the CWC have established or designated their National Authority.