The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Mr Jonatan Vseviov, and the OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias
THE HAGUE, Netherlands–15 December 2021–The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Mr Fernando Arias, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Mr Jonatan Vseviov, met yesterday to discuss a range of topics related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
The Director-General briefed the Secretary General on the Organisation’s efforts to prevent the re-emergence of chemical weapons, including potential threats to the CWC as well as the importance of promoting chemistry for economic and technological development. Director-General Arias also provided an update on the construction progress of the new OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology, which is being built outside The Hague in the Netherlands.
The Secretary General stated: “Estonia strongly supports the OPCW and its Technical Secretariat in the global effort for a world free of chemical weapons. The Organisation’s staff have been under intense scrutiny yet have shown nothing but integrity and dedication to upholding the norm against chemical weapons. As a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Estonia organised briefings under its presidency in May 2020 and June 2021 for the members of the UNSC by Director-General Arias on OPCW activities and investigations. Standing up for the Chemical Weapons Convention and pursuing accountability for perpetrators of chemical weapons attacks remains a prime obligation for all States Parties.”
The Director-General expressed: “Estonia is an engaged and committed partner in the Organisation’s efforts aimed at guaranteeing the effective implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. We will continue to work together to uphold the global norm against the use of chemical weapons and I thank Estonia for its continued efforts to pursue our common goal of eliminating chemical weapons from our world.”
Background
Estonia has been an active member of the OPCW since 1999.
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, 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 98% of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.