H.E. Ambassador Leopoldo Sahores, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Argentine Republic, and Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of the OPCW
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—14 February 2023— The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Fernando Arias, welcomed the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Argentine Republic, H.E. Ambassador Leopoldo Sahores, on 13 February 2024 at the OPCW’s Headquarters in The Hague.
During their bilateral meeting, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Director-General the discussed various challenges related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in the current challenging political and security environment. In this regard, the Director-General underlined the importance of addressing the threat of chemical weapons use to bolster peace and international security.
Director-General Arias briefed the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Sahores on the opportunities and challenges facing the Convention resulting from rapid scientific and technological developments such as artificial intelligence. The former commented that these emerging technologies could have an impact on chemical weapons re-emergence, and therefore the Secretariat continues to analyse the situation and will keep Member States informed. They also discussed the importance of the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (ChemTech Centre) in strengthening the Organisation’s capabilities to address these challenges.
Further, the Director-General and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs highlighted the importance of upholding the global norm against chemical weapons through effective global cooperation and universal implementation of the Convention.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs Sahores reiterated Argentina’s commitment to disarmament, non-proliferation, and a world free of chemical weapons. He stated that: “joint efforts by the international community remain necessary to tackle this universal threat. Argentina reaffirms its partnership with the OPCW and the relevant stakeholders to cooperate in the implementation of the CWC.”
Director-General Arias thanked the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for Argentina’s support to the OPCW as a member of the Executive Council. He noted: “The OPCW commends Argentina for its staunch commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention and for its efforts to ensure that chemistry is used exclusively for peaceful purposes.”
Background
Argentina has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997. Argentina is a member of the Executive Council, the OPCW’s executive organ, which is responsible for promoting the effective implementation of and compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention as well as supervising the activities of the Organisation’s Technical Secretariat.
The ChemTech Centre, which was inaugurated on 12 May 2023, enhances the OPCW’s ability to conduct chemical research and analysis. This significantly reinforces the Organisation’s verification regime and inspection capabilities of chemical industries around the world. In addition, an increasing number of capacity building activities are being delivered through the Centre, including chemical emergency response trainings and analytical skills development courses for experts from Member States.
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.
On 7 July 2023, the OPCW verified that all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by the 193 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1997 totalling 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agents — have been irreversibly destroyed under the OPCW’s strict verification regime.
For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.