H.E. Mr Ilkka-Pekka Similä, Permanent Representative of Finland to the OPCW, and Ambassador Fernando Arias, OPCW Director General
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—1 December 2022—The Government of the Republic of Finland has voluntarily contributed €100,000 to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The contribution will be used towards the full elimination of the Syrian Chemical Weapons Programme and clarification of facts related to the alleged use of chemical weapons, in accordance with the relevant decisions of the policy-making organs of the OPCW.
The voluntary contribution was formalised on 24 November 2022 in a signing ceremony held between the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Finland to the OPCW, H.E. Mr Ilkka-Pekka Similä, and the OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias, at the OPCW’s Headquarters in The Hague.
“Finland is pleased to make another voluntary contribution to the OPCW Trust Fund for Syria. We are strong supporters of the Chemical Weapons Convention and condemn the use of chemical weapons under any circumstance,” said Ambassador Similä.
“The contribution demonstrates Finland’s full confidence in and appreciation for the professionalism and impartiality of the OPCW in investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria. With our contribution Finland aims to bolster accountability efforts and help bring justice to the victims of these deplorable acts,” he added.
Director-General Arias stated: “I express sincere appreciation to the Republic of Finland for its continuing support to the OPCW’s mission to permanently eradicate chemical weapons. This contribution will support the OPCW to continue its work on the Syrian chemical weapons dossier and to uphold the norms and principles of the Chemical Weapons Convention.”
Background
The Republic of Finland joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997 and is an active supporter of OPCW activities.
The Republic of Finland is a member of the Executive Council until 2024. The Executive Council is the OPCW’s governing body, which supervises the activities of the Technical Secretariat and is responsible for promoting the effective implementation of, and compliance with, the Convention.
The Republic of Finland has made substantial voluntary contributions to multiple OPCW trust funds, including Trust Fund for a Centre for Chemistry and Technology and the Trust Fund for Syria Missions.
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.