H.E. Mr. Nasser Ibrahim Allenqawi, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the OPCW, and H.E. Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of the OPCW
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—24 January 2023— The Government of the State of Qatar contributed €100,000 to a special Trust Fund of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to support the construction and operation of the new OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (“ChemTech Centre”).
The contribution was formalised on 20 January 2023 in a signing ceremony held between the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the OPCW, Ambassador Nasser Ibrahim Allenqawi, and the OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias, at the OPCW’s Headquarters in The Hague.
“On behalf of the Government of the State of Qatar, we are pleased to make a voluntary contribution of €100,000 to the OPCW ChemTech Centre Trust Fund,” said Ambassador Allenqawi. “This contribution represents the aim of the Government of Qatar to achieve OPCW’s objectives and enhance its capabilities to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention.”
“I express sincere appreciation to the Government of Qatar for its voluntary contribution. The ChemTech Centre is an ambitious project with high potential that will guarantee the OPCW’s readiness to assist Member States using the most up-to-date tools for many years to come, to address an agenda that will remain open forever: the total elimination of chemical weapons,” said the OPCW Director-General. “The Centre will be a hub for knowledge sharing and support the global efforts to ensure chemistry is used only for peaceful purposes.”
H.E. Mr. Nasser Ibrahim Allenqawi, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the OPCW, and H.E. Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of the OPCW
Background
The State of Qatar signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) on 1 February 1993. Qatar is elected to serve on the OPCW Executive Council starting from May 2023. To date, Qatar has made voluntary contributions to six different OPCW trust funds: the Trust Fund for a Centre for Chemistry and Technology, the Trust Fund for Regional Seminars, the Voluntary Fund for Assistance, the Trust Fund for Implementation of Article X, the Trust Fund for the Implementation of Article VII Obligations, and the Trust Fund for the Scientific Advisory Board.
The ChemTech Centre is an important upgrade to the OPCW’s research, analytical and capacity building activities. It will serve as a knowledge repository to address chemical threats worldwide, and as a platform for the broader OPCW community to promote expert dialogue, exchange, and collaboration in advancing the peaceful uses of chemistry. The new facility will also help strengthen Member States’ capabilities related to verification tools, detection and response in the case of a chemical emergency.
As the implementing body for the CWC, 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.