H.E. Mr Juraj Blanár, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, of the Slovak Republic, and Ambassador Fernando Arias, OPCW Director-General, during a visit to OPCW Headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 27 March 2025.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—4 April 2025— The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Fernando Arias, met with Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr Juraj Blanár, on 27 March 2025 at the OPCW’s Headquarters in The Hague.
During the meeting, Foreign Minister Blanár and Director-General Arias discussed a wide range of issues related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Amid the evolving international security landscape, both sides reaffirmed the crucial role of the OPCW in safeguarding global peace and stability. They emphasised the importance of strong international cooperation in addressing the threat of chemical weapons use and reinforcing the global norm against such weapons.
The Foreign Minister Blanár said “Slovakia reiterates its consistent support to the OPCW whose mandate and work are indispensable for multilateralism, upholding international law and for the future of humankind. Slovakia is ready to continue the already existing strong cooperation between Slovakia and the Organisation and further build upon it.”
The Director-General expressed his gratitude to the Foreign Minister for Slovakia’s continuous support to the OPCW, stating “The OPCW commends Slovakia for its steadfast commitment to the Convention and its dedication to the OPCW for upholding the norm against chemical weapons through providing the training course to experts from the Secretariat and States Parties.”
H.E. Mr Juraj Blanár, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, of the Slovak Republic (middle left), and Ambassador Fernando Arias, OPCW Director-General (middle right), with their delegations during a visit to OPCW Headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 27 March 2025.
Director-General Arias provided an update on the OPCW’s ongoing efforts to complete the elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons programme. He highlighted the recent effort by the Organisation in this regard, including his meetings in Damascus with Syria’s interim President and Foreign Minister, as well as the visit of the Syrian Foreign Minister to OPCW Headquarters. He underlined that the changing political landscape in Syria presents a historic opportunity for the international community to bring the Syria’s chemical weapons dossier to an end.
Director-General Arias also briefed Foreign Minister Blanár on OPCW’s activities in Ukraine, including the findings of the OPCW Technical Assistance Visit reports issued in November 2024 and February 2025. In this regard, the Director-General emphasised, “Now more than ever, upholding the absolute prohibition of chemical weapons is crucial. For this purpose, the Technical Secretariat is committed to assisting all Member States through independent expertise.”
Director-General Arias gave an overview of the opportunities and challenges facing the Convention resulting from rapid scientific and technological developments such as artificial intelligence (AI). The Director-General also updated the Foreign Minister on the activities taking place in the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (ChemTech Centre).
Background
Slovakia has been an active member of the OPCW since 1997. Slovakia, in cooperation with the OPCW Technical Secretariat, continuously organises live agent training for experts in Zemianske Kostol’any, Slovakia. The last two trainings were held from 22 May to 1 June 2023, and 27 May to 6 June 2024. For this year, the course will be held from 16 to 27 June 2025.
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.
More Information
- Press release: OPCW issues report on its Technical Assistance Visit to Ukraine following an alleged incident of use of toxic chemicals as a weapon
- Report of the OPCW Technical Assistance Visit on the Activities Carried out in Support of a Request by Ukraine (Technical Assistance Visit TAV/05/24 and TAV/01/25)