Deputy Director-General visits Kenya, Opens 12th Regional Meeting of National Authorities in Africa

The OPCW Deputy Director-General, Mrs. Grace Asirwatham, together with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Head of Kenya’s National Authority, H.E. Mr. James Macharia, inaugurated the 12th Regional Meeting of National Authorities in Africa on 4 June in Nairobi. 

The meeting was attended by 47 participants from 30 States Parties* in the region, one non-State Party (Angola), and four sub-regional organizations: COMESA, EAC, SADC, and NADC. Representatives from the European Union and UNICRI also attended the opening ceremony.

In her opening statement the Deputy Director-General highlighted the significant progress made by African States Parties in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CW), as well as the challenges and need for additional support to CWC implementation across the region. The annual meeting of National Authorities is an important opportunity for States Parties to share experiences and best practices regarding CWC implementation.

During her visit the Deputy Director-General had bilateral meetings with the Deputy President, H.E. Mr. William Ruto; the Cabinet Secretary for Health and National Authority Head, Mr. Macharia: the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, H.E. Mr. Ole Lenku; the Cabinet Secretary for Defense, H.E. Ambassador Raychelle Omamo; the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ambassador Amina Mohamed; and the Solicitor General, Mr. Njee Muturi. The discussions focused on the status of CWC implementation, progress in the destruction of Syrian chemicals, universality, and the future direction of the OPCW. They also touched upon Kenya’s expediting the adoption of national implementing legislation as required under Article VII of the CWC and establishing a permanent National Authority.  

While in Nairobi the Deputy Director-General also delivered a lecture at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Nairobi, which was attended by some 150 students and professors/lecturers.  

* Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe