At the invitation of the German government, a delegation from the Executive Council (EC) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) visited the GEKA Destruction Facility and Dethlinger Pond site in Munster, Germany, from 13 to 14 March 2025. The delegation was led by H.E Ambassador Andrés Terán Parral, Chairperson of the Executive Council, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ecuador to the OPCW, and was composed of Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives and delegates from the Executive Council's 41 member states from all regional groups. The Director-General of the OPCW, Ambassador Fernando Arias, also participated in this visit.
The EC delegation was received by Ms. Susanne Riegraf, Deputy Federal Commissioner for Arms Control of Germany on 13 March. The delegates were then briefed on the history of Old Chemical Weapons (OCW) in Germany, including an overview of the OCW handled at the Agency for the Disposal of Chemical Warfare Agents and Armaments Legacy (Gesellschaft zur Entsorgung von chemischen Kampfstoffen und Rüstungs- Altlasten, GEKA), which is responsible for the destruction of chemical warfare agents and legacy armaments, including those recovered from Dethlinger Pond. The briefing, which covered both historical and theoretical aspects, was delivered by officials from the German Federal Foreign Office.
Dethlinger Pond is the world's largest recovery site of OCW. Upon the Chemical Weapons Convention's (CWC) entry into force in 1997, Germany declared significant OCW holdings, all of which were destroyed by 2007. Beyond this, Germany continues to make ad-hoc OCW discoveries and declares these findings along with the destruction of recovered munitions. GEKA has worked tirelessly to ensure the safe destruction of OCW materials recovered from the Dethlinger Pond site, and beyond.
OPCW Executive Council and the OPCW Director-General visit the GEKA Destruction Facility and Dethlinger Pond site in Munster, Germany, from 13 to 14 March 2025. Photo credit: German Permanent Mission to the OPCW
Throughout the site visit, the EC delegation received detailed presentations from the GEKA teams on the operations and progress made at the Dethlinger Pond site. They witnessed how chemical weapons are retrieved, secured and taken to GEKA for final identification and destruction. The delegation was briefed on the measures taken to accelerate the destruction process, including the technologies used for OCW destruction and the strategies implemented to safeguard the health and safety of people and the environment in the vicinity of the Dethlinger Pond site.
The EC delegation witnessed the critical role of the facilities in supporting Germany's fulfilment of its obligations under the CWC to eliminate OCW. The Chairperson of the Executive Council stated, "This visit has provided the delegation with a unique opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the complex processes involved in the safe disposal of OCW, deepening our understanding of the challenges in managing those hazardous materials. Approximately 30,000 chemical weapons are expected to be recovered through the ongoing excavation programme. The work here in Germany serves as a tangible example of global efforts to eliminate threats of chemical weapons."
Deputy Federal Commissioner Ms Riegraf said: "Taking a step back from the daily business in The Hague and seeing the practical consequences of our work can sometimes be helpful for facing serious challenges to the Convention that we have to overcome. We want to show you how the toxic remains of a chemical weapons program is still a burden to people and the environment even decades after the end of the program, and how we cope with that challenge."
OPCW Executive Council and the OPCW Director-General visit the GEKA Destruction Facility and Dethlinger Pond site in Munster, Germany, from 13 to 14 March 2025. Photo credit: German Permanent Mission to the OPCW
The OPCW Director-General emphasised the importance of the ongoing destruction efforts, stating: "I commend the efforts of the personnel of GEKA and those involved in recovery efforts at Dethlinger Pond for their invaluable work. Since 1997, the GEKA has played a key role in this endeavour. To date, the Secretariat has conducted 26 OCW inspections at GEKA, along with four inspections related to declared Abandoned Chemical Weapons, as part of our verification activities. The Secretariat is satisfied with all the activities carried out as well as with the exemplary cooperation extended by the German authorities."
Director-General Arias further highlighted Germany's extensive contributions to international chemical demilitarisation efforts, stating, "Germany has also contributed comprehensively to international chemical demilitarisation efforts, inter alia, in the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria and Libya. We now have a unique opportunity to finalise the elimination of Syria's chemical weapons programme. Given the scale of this task, GEKA's technological capabilities and technical expertise may once again prove valuable. We will look to Germany for continued support as we gain more clarity on the necessary steps ahead."
Background
The Federal Republic of Germany has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997. Germany is a member of the Executive Council, the OPCW's executive organ, which is tasked 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.
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.
