THE HAGUE, Netherlands—11 September 2024—The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Fernando Arias, visited the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for high-level meetings, including discussions with the Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), The Rt Hon Lord Hunt of Kings Heath OBE, the Member of the Parliament, and Under-Secretary of State, Hamish Falconer and the Director General of Defence and Intelligence of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This visit underlined the strong collaborative relationship between the OPCW and the United Kingdom in promoting the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and addressing the global threat of chemical weapons.
In his meetings, the Director-General discussed with the senior officials the evolving global security landscape, focusing on key issues such as the situations in Syria and Ukraine. They also addressed recent advancements in science and technology, including the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on the chemical sciences to enhance the capabilities in chemical weapons monitoring and verification, and the applications of chemistry for peaceful purposes, including to address climate change.
The Rt Hon Lord Hunt said: “It was an honour to welcome OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. As the UK’s National Authority on the Chemical Weapons Convention, I was pleased to discuss our shared work to protect the world from chemical weapons.”
The Director-General recognised the United Kingdom for its unwavering support of the OPCW’s mission and highlighted the importance of its collaborative efforts. “The United Kingdom’s active engagement and dedication to the OPCW’s work are essential in advancing our shared goal of a world free of chemical weapons,” said Director-General Arias. “The ongoing support of the UK strengthens our collective resolve to uphold international norms and effectively address emerging challenges. I am pleased to highlight the UK’s role in co-funding the OPCW Artificial Intelligence Research Challenge, an initiative that supports researchers and scientists in developing innovative AI solutions that can enhance the OPCW’s effectiveness, efficiency, and preparedness in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention.”
The visit also included meetings with high-level officials on Defence, National Security, Counter Proliferation and Arms Control.
Background
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997. The United Kingdom is a member of the OPCW 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 UK National Authority falls under the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
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 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.