THE HAGUE, Netherlands—19 June 2023 —The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Government of the Slovak Republic co-organised a training on handling live chemical warfare agents for first responders in Zemianske Kostol’any, Slovakia, from 22 May to 1 June 2023.
The course provided the participants with real experience of handling chemical warfare agents in an operational training environment. While few emergency response professionals get the opportunity to train by handling real chemical warfare agents, this group of expert first responders tested their capabilities in a highly realistic scenario.
Attendees also deepened their knowledge of safe practices when handling toxic chemicals, medical countermeasures, protective equipment, and the physical and chemical properties of chemical warfare agents. Furthermore, the first responders learned about the challenges of collecting samples from a variety of surfaces in a field environment.
The course was attended by 14 participants representing the following 13 OPCW Member States: Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bahrain Brazil, Costa Rica, Estonia, Italy, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Spain, and Ukraine.
The training course has been held annually since 2004 and closely mirrors the Toxic Chemical Training offered to incoming OPCW inspectors.
Background
Under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention, under which Member States “have the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment, material and scientific and technological information concerning means of protection against chemical weapons.”
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.