THE HAGUE, Netherlands – 22 January 2020 – The Secretary General of Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, H.E. Ms Sylvie Lucas, met today with the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr Fernando Arias at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.
Ms Lucas and the Director-General discussed a range of issues related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Director-General also briefed her on the project to upgrade the current OPCW Laboratory and Equipment Store through the construction of the ChemTech Centre (“ChemTech Centre”). They also discussed other initiatives undertaken by the OPCW in the areas of national implementation, international cooperation, and assistance and protection.
The Director-General expressed his deep gratitude to Ms Lucas for Luxembourg’s recent valuable support of OPCW activities, in particular its financial contributions to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions, as well as to the Trust Fund to support the project to build the ChemTech Centre.
Background
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Members, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
Over 97% of all chemical weapon stockpiles declared by possessor States have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.