The Government of the Czech Republic has contributed CZK 300,000 (€12,000) to the Trust Fund for the Implementation of Article X at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The contribution will be used to support assistance and protection capacity-building activities in African Member States under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The voluntary contribution was formalised at signing ceremony on 26 September 2022 by the Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the OPCW, H.E. Ms Kateřina Sequensová, and OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias, at the Organisation's headquarters in The Hague.
Ambassador Sequensová stated: "The Czech Republic is a staunch supporter of the OPCW's work and I am pleased that this voluntary financial contribution for OPCW assistance and protection activities complements the in-kind contribution provided by the Czech Population Protection Institute. This long-term support of capacity building programmes, in particular through the Africa programme, aims at developing and enhancing the preparedness and response capacities of African states in the event of chemical incident or threat."
The Programme to Strengthen Cooperation with Africa on the Chemical Weapons Convention (the Africa Programme) focuses on the particular needs of African Member States, including the promotion of peaceful uses of chemistry for a developed, safe, and secure Africa.
OPCW Director-General Ambassador Arias underscored: "I am very grateful for the close support of the Government of the Czech Republic. The contribution will support the OPCW's ongoing mission to help Member States protect their populations from chemical incidents and emergencies."
Background
The Czech Republic has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997. The Czech Republic is a member of the Executive Council, the OPCW's executive organ, which is charged 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.
Under Article X of the CWC, Member States "have the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment, material and scientific and technological information concerning means of protection against chemical weapons."
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.
Over 99% of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
