Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
I am pleased to close this part of the Induction Workshop.
Thank you to all the attendees for your participation in this annual event.
The purpose of today’s programme was to provide you with practical and useful information that will assist you in carrying out your responsibilities effectively.
I hope the briefings have strengthened your understanding of how the Organisation works and the key issues that it is facing.
In addition, this event was designed as an opportunity for you to interact with senior staff and learn about the core functions and activities of their divisions.
I should emphasise that these moments are more than just about information exchange.
They help foster a collegial environment that encourages collaboration between the Secretariat and delegates to make progress on our collective goal of a world free of chemical weapons.
Over the past two and a half decades, the OPCW has made significant strides and passed impressive milestones towards this.
And 2023 in particular has been a landmark year for the Organisation as a whole.
The inauguration of the Centre for Chemistry and Technology – which you will visit this afternoon – and the end of the destruction of all stockpiled chemical weapons have marked a new era for the OPCW.
We must now continue to deepen our focus on preventing the re-emergence of chemical weapons and promoting the peaceful uses of chemistry.
In the coming years we will see further accomplishments as an Organisation, as well as challenges.
Overcoming these challenges will require a collaborative relationship between the Secretariat and the States Parties, and between the States Parties themselves.
The foundation for that relationship is built upon a membership that is actively involved in the discussions on the present and future priorities of the OPCW.
To this end, we are committed to fostering and strengthening our engagement with you and encouraging consultation and cooperation.
These values have served the OPCW well in the past to keep it adaptable, agile, and efficient.
As we move forward as an organisation, these characteristics will remain crucial for the OPCW to deliver on its mandates.
The Secretariat is ready to do its part and is also here to offer the assistance that you require as delegates.
I look forward to working with all of you as we continue to strive to uphold the ban against chemical weapons and promote the peaceful uses of chemistry.
I wish you a productive session for the remaining parts of the programme.
Thank you for your attention.