Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), met with H.E. Mr Zbigniew Rau, Foreign Minister of Poland
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—30 May 2022—The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Fernando Arias, met on 25 May with the Foreign Minister of Poland, H.E. Mr Zbigniew Rau, and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology of Poland, Mr Grzegorz Piechowiak. The meetings took place in Warsaw, Poland.
The officials discussed the prevention of the re-emergence of chemical weapons in the current international security situation and the importance of the role of OPCW and its Member States. The role of National Authorities in the implementation of the Convention and in preventing the proliferation of toxic chemicals was also discussed.
The Director-General briefed the Minister and Deputy Minister on the future OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology, currently under construction outside The Hague, the Netherlands. The ChemTech Centre will provide essential capacity building for OPCW Member States and serve as a knowledge hub for expertise in the non-proliferation of chemical weapons.
The Director-General stated: “I appreciate Poland’s steadfast support and commitment to upholding the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Poland is an active Member State of the OPCW and we will continue to work together to strengthen the global norm against chemical weapons and to prevent their re-emergence.”
The Director-General also visited the DJchem Chemicals Poland chemical plant located near Warsaw.
Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), met with H.E. Mr Zbigniew Rau, Foreign Minister of Poland
Background
Poland has been an active member of the OPCW since 1997.
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 99% 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.