The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Fernando Arias, delivered a keynote address at the European Union (EU) Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference organised in Brussels last week by the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium. The event gathered experts on non-proliferation, disarmament, arms control and conventional weapons from public institutions, governments, international organisations, independent think tanks, and civil society.
Director-General Arias emphasised: "We meet at a time of great geopolitical tension, marked by an increase in complex and persistent conflicts. The current strain on the international system is deepening divides and making progress on disarmament and non-proliferation increasingly difficult. Accordingly, the exchange of ideas and viewpoints that take place in conferences such as this one is vital to shaping informed policy and guiding decision-making."
Director-General Arias highlighted OPCW's historic achievement, including the completion of destruction of all declared chemical weapons stockpiles in 2023. He noted, however, that despite reaching this milestone, the Organisation's work is far from over. Director-General Arias underlined that, in addition to verifying the destruction of old and abandoned chemical weapons, addressing the threat of chemical weapons re-emergence and achieving universality of the Convention remain top priorities for the OPCW.
The Director-General addressed the implications of rapid advancements in science and technology, particularly in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), for chemical disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. He emphasised that the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (ChemTech Centre) is an invaluable tool for the Organisation to address both challenges and opportunities in chemical non-proliferation related to accelerated progress in this field. Director-General Arias highlighted several initiatives of the OPCW related to AI, including the Global Conference on the Role of AI in Advancing the Implementation of the CWC held in Rabat last October and the OPCW's AI Research Challenge .
OPCW Director-General Ambassador Fernando Arias at the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference 2024, Brussels, Belgium.
Director-General Arias concluded: "The OPCW needs to remain vigilant and adaptable as our work is far from complete, and is ongoing. The full support from the States Parties and the international community remains essential to ensure that the CWC continues to be an effective arms control instrument. The responsibility is on us to protect the legacy that we have received with this instrument of peace and security called the OPCW."
"As a vital partner in promoting global peace and security, the European Union's steadfast and continued support for the OPCW is essential to strengthen our shared mission to realise a world free of chemical weapons," he added
The two-day Conference looked at a wide range of topics, including multilateral arms control, chemical disarmament and the threat of chemical weapons re-emergence, the future of biological weapons as well as the role of emerging technologies in arms control. The Conference featured presentations by representatives from various think tanks, international organisations, academia, and government organisations.
"The EU Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Conference is the EU's key platform for discussing global developments in relation to arms control, where fresh ideas and strong partnerships come together to tackle today's most pressing challenges. The EU was happy to have OPCW Director-General Arias as a keynote speaker at the conference," said Mr Stephan Klement, EU's Special Envoy for Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.
Background
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.
