Participants at the Seminar on CWC and Chemical Safety and Security Management for Member States of the OPCW in the Asian Region, which was held in Qatar from 23 – 25, February 2016.
For the 5th year the OPCW cooperated with the State of Qatar on a Seminar on Chemical Safety and Security Management for Member States of the OPCW in the Asian Region. The seminar was held from the 23 – 25, February in Doha, Qatar, in collaboration with the National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons (NCPW) of Qatar. Altogether 72 participants from 23 Member States* attended the seminar.
The seminar was opened by H.E. Major General Nasser Mohammed Al-Ali, Chairman of the NCPW, Qatar. In his welcome speech, Brigadier Hassan Saleh Al-Nesf, Deputy Chairman of the NCPW, underlined this event as continued cooperation with the OPCW in further promoting the objectives of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Over the course of three days, the workshop covered presentations on the implementation of the Convention, chemical safety and security management, chemical safety and security: lessons learned, process safety culture, Responsible Care for stakeholders, security risk assessment, decision making on chemical management and overview of industrial accident convention. Discussions were also held on the role of stakeholders and learning and sharing of best practices in the chemical industry.
Bringing together a group of stakeholders representing National Authorities, academics, chemical industries, industry associations and policy makers, the seminar offered an opportunity for the participants to discuss new approaches that can be adopted on chemical safety and security management. Participants felt that they had learned a lot from each other as they shared their experiences, views and challenges faced in their countries to ensure safe and secure handling of chemicals.. Participants also expressed their appreciation for the OPCW and the NCPW for this valuable programme, and for the Government of Qatar for its generous support and hospitality.
The beneficial learning experience will continue beyond the seminar. As one participant commented, “I am planning to incorporate the knowledge gained by the seminar into the existing curricula to develop new lecture series for our undergraduates”. The OPCW will continue to work with States Parties to promote a culture of chemical safety and safety in the spirit of international cooperation.
*Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, UK, USA, and Canada.