Ambassador H.E. Mr Thomas Schieb, Permanent Representative of Germany to the OPCW, and Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of the OPCW at the signing ceremony at OPCW Headquarters on 12 July 2024.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—18 July 2024—The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) welcomes The Federal Republic of Germany’s voluntary contributions of €65,000 to support the OPCW’s upcoming Global Conference on the Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advancing the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The conference aims to holistically examine the implications of AI technology within the framework of the CWC.
The contribution was formalised on 12 July 2024 in a signing ceremony held between the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Germany to the OPCW, H.E. Mr Thomas Schieb, and the OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias, at the OPCW’s Headquarters in The Hague.
Ambassador Schieb stated: “We have no time to lose in trying to assess the effects of AI on the work of the OPCW. The discussions have only started: Building on the exchanges with high level experts at the conference on AI and Weapons of Mass Destruction in Berlin on 28 June and inspired by the programmatic keynote speech delivered by DG Arias in Berlin, the OPCW conference on AI in Rabat in October will carry the work forward. Germany thanks the Government of Morocco for hosting the conference and is happy to contribute financial support and technical expertise.”
The Director-General stated: “Germany’s important contribution towards this timely conference on AI and the Chemical Weapons Convention is deeply appreciated. AI is a powerful tool that is transforming the chemical sciences. We must be prepared to address both the opportunities and challenges that it could present for the implementation of the CWC. This conference will foster dialogue among experts to ensure AI is used responsibly and contribute positively to global peace and security.”
“The OPCW has recently launched an AI challenge to identify how AI can be used to strengthen the Organisation’s capabilities and increase its readiness to address current and future challenges. We encourage scientists and researchers from Member States to submit their proposals on how to use AI to enhance the OPCW’s effectiveness, efficiency, and preparedness,” he added.
The conference, to be hosted in Morocco from 22 to 24 October 2024, will bring together leading experts from the fields of science, industry, and government, and facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the role of AI in CWC implementation.
The conference will explore three focus areas:
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The role and impact of AI in Chemistry from the lens of evolving science and policy discourse;
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impact and challenges of AI on the chemical industry at-large; and
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challenges presented by AI in counterterrorism and implementation of CWC.
The Director-General encouraged all OPCW Member States to consider supporting the Organisation’s priority activities, including this conference, through voluntary and in-kind contributions.
Background
The Federal Republic of Germany is currently represented in the OPCW Executive Council, the Advisory Body on Administrative and Financial Matters, the Confidentiality Commission, the Scientific Advisory Board, and the Advisory Board on Education and Outreach.
To date, Germany has contributed more than €12.5 million to eight OPCW trust funds, including the Trust Fund for the Centre for Chemistry and Technology (ChemTech Centre) Trust Fund for Syria Missions and the Trust Fund for the Implementation of Article X.
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.
In 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.