Capacity Building
Africa Programme

The Programme to Strengthen Cooperation with Africa on the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) — more commonly known as the Africa Programme — is a special Initiative launched in 2007 by the Technical Secretariat to streamline the CWC implementation in Africa and to address Africa’s needs in relation to the Convention, notably chemical safety, security and development.

Objectives

1. Advance the national implementation of the CWC in Africa
2. Strengthen controls over cross-border transfers of toxic chemicals
3. Enhance protection and response capabilities against chemical incidents/attacks
4. Advance chemical safety and security culture, standards, and practices in Africa
5. Strengthen the capabilities of African chemical laboratories
6. Promote knowledge of peaceful chemistry and its exchange in the continent
7. Foster Programme visibility, stakeholder engagement, and partnerships

By improving chemical security in Africa (implementation of objectives 1 to 5 above), the Programme contributes to augment the resilience and response capacities of African Member States against chemical terrorism.

In the framework of the Africa Programme, the OPCW Technical Secretariat provides targeted capacity building and technical assistance support to African Member States in these areas. In addition, the Secretariat facilitates the exchange of scientific knowledge in areas of peaceful chemistry by sponsoring relevant conferences, fellowships and small-scale research projects and transfers of specialised equipment.

The Programme is based on three-year phases. The 6^th phase covers the period from 2023 to 2025. and was designed in consultation with African Member States. For more details on the 6^th phase, please consult the Note by the Director-General, EC-102/DG.11.

Partners and Collaborators

Regular collaboration, coordination and experience-sharing with several national, regional and international organisations is a salient feature of the Africa Programme implementation.  The list of interlocutors and partners in the framework of the Programme include:

• African Regional Economic Communities​ 
• The African Union (AU) Commission
• The European Union (CBRN Centres of Excellence based in Africa)
• The World Customs Organization (WCO)
• OPCW Member States and institutions hosting activities under the Programme
• Specialised institutions providing expertise to training activities under the Programme

Donors

While the activities under the Africa Programme are financed largely by OPCW regular budget, the OPCW Technical Secretariat recognises and highly appreciates the in-kind contributions made by African States Parties hosting activities under the Africa Programme, as well as the generous financial  voluntary  contributions made to the Programme by Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, and the European Union.

Steering Committee

The Africa Programme Steering Committee monitors and supports the Programme implementation. Meeting twice a year, the Committee includes representatives of OPCW African Member States as Members, and donors to the programmes as observers.