Ms Susanne Riegraf, Acting Federal Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control at the German Federal Foreign Office, and Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of the OPCW
THE HAGUE, Netherlands— 26 November 2024—The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Fernando Arias, held a bilateral meeting with the Acting Federal Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control of the German Federal Foreign Office, Ms Susanne Riegraf, on the sidelines of the Twenty-Ninth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CSP-29).
The high-level discussion underscored the importance of global collaboration in addressing pressing challenges in disarmament and non-proliferation posed by the current volatile international security environment.
Ms Riegraf and Director-General Arias exchanged views on the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) around the globe. The Director-General gave an overview of the Organisation’s ongoing efforts to address the threat of chemical weapons use, and briefed, in particular, on the recent report on an OPCW Technical Assistance Visit to Ukraine. He also briefed Ms Riegraf on OPCW’s activities in Syria, highlighting the critical contributions of the Declaration Assessment Team (DAT), Fact-Finding Mission (FFM), and Investigation and Identification Team (IIT). Both officials acknowledged the increasing threat posed by the potential misuse of toxic chemicals by non-State actors.
Ambassador Fernando Arias, OPCW Director-General meets with the Acting Federal Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control at the German Federal Foreign Office, Ms Susanne Riegraf
Director-General Arias stressed the pivotal role of the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (ChemTech Centre) in monitoring advancements in science and technology, ensuring that the international community remains vigilant and prepared to prevent the re-emergence of chemical weapons. He emphasised that emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) present both risks and opportunities related to the implementation of the Convention. Director-General Arias thanked Germany for its strong support in this field, including hosting the Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in June this year. The Director-General also highlighted several OPCW initiatives related to AI this year, including the OPCW AI Research Challenge and the Global Conference on AI in CWC implementation.
Director-General Arias concluded the meeting by stressing the importance of the CSP as a forum to advance collaboration related to the Convention’s implementation: “The elimination of chemical weapons demands unwavering global cooperation, grounded in trust, transparency, and shared responsibility. The Conference of the States Parties serves as a vital forum for uniting our collective expertise and commitment to uphold the Convention. Together, through collaboration and adherence to international law, we can build a safer, more secure world.”
Ms Susanne Riegraf, Acting Federal Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control at the German Federal Foreign Office during a meeting with Ambassador Fernando Arias, the OPCW Director-General.
“Germany is fully committed to the global ban on chemical weapons and thanks the OPCW for its excellent work. After the Technical Secretariat’s report published on 18 November which confirmed that riot control agents have been used in Ukraine in breach of the CWC, it is essential that the OPCW continues its efforts to shed full light on such cases and identify their origin. Any breach of Article I of the CWC is most serious and cannot be tolerated,” said Ms Riegraf.
“Germany appreciates that the Director-General has placed the issue of emerging technologies high on the OPCW’s agenda in order for the organisation to remain fit for purpose,” she added.
Background
The Federal Republic of Germany has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997. Germany is a member of the Executive Council, the OPCW’s executive organ, which is tasked with 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 Conference of the States Parties (CSP) is the principal and plenary organ of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), composed of the OPCW’s 193 Member States. The weeklong annual meeting of the Conference brings together high-level officials from OPCW Member States, as well as representatives from international organisations, the chemical industry, and civil society. The CSP oversees the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), promotes the Convention’s objectives and reviews compliance with the treaty.
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.