From 18-21 February 2025, experts and industry stakeholders gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for a workshop entitled Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines in the chemical sector. Organised as part of the Chemical Safety and Security Tools Development Programme initiated by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the event focused on developing new guidelines that will help prevent the illicit use of hazardous chemicals, particularly their misuse for terrorism or other unlawful activities.
The concept of KYC, widely used in banking and finance, is now being applied to the chemical sector to help manufacturers and distributors verify the legitimacy of their buyers. This is especially critical for dual-use chemicals which can be legally traded but also exploited for illicit activities, including terrorist attacks.
Once finalised, these KYC guidelines will help chemical manufacturers, distributors, and regulators-especially in resource-limited countries-prevent unauthorised sales of hazardous chemicals and reduce risks. By sharing best practices in due diligence of chemical sales, they enhance global security, combat chemical terrorism, and support non-proliferation efforts.
The workshop attracted a diverse group of participants, many attending their first OPCW event. Bubu Shanu, National Coordinator at RESCON in Nigeria, shared his enthusiasm: "This is my first OPCW event, and as a chemist and chemical industry stakeholder from Nigeria, it's amazing. The calibre of participants, the energy, and the optimisation of resources to achieve targets is remarkable. The subject of this workshop in particular hits a bullseye in the current challenges the developing world faces in managing 'dual-use' chemicals."
Experts and industry stakeholders discuss new guidelines to help prevent the illicit use of hazardous chemicals during Know Your Customer (KYC) workshop organised by OPCW in Kenya, Nairobi, in February 2025.
Since its launch in 2019, OPCW's Chemical Safety and Security Tools Development Programme has aimed to create practical guidelines for strengthening chemical safety and security. The first phase, completed in 2021, resulted in the development of guidelines outlining the basic principles of risk management and plant site safety for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to promote the peaceful use of chemistry. The second phase, finalised in 2024, focused on securing the transport of hazardous chemicals by road.
To develop effective guidelines, the first workshop was held in Sri Lanka in 2024, producing a zero draft of the KYC recommendations. The recent February workshop in Nairobi built upon that foundation, further developing the guidelines to ensure they are practical, easily usable at practitioner level, and beneficial to all Member States.
Apart from the knowledge gained, participants further benefited from international collaboration. Jorence Rocamora, Area Sales Manager at Mabuhay Vinyl Corporation in the Philippines, reflected on her experience: "This workshop is truly a unique experience for me […] Through meeting participants from around the globe, we learn from each other as we work together towards one goal-to make a better place to live through strengthening chemical security."
Dr. Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration of Kenya, highlighted the need for comprehensive oversight across the entire chemical supply chain, reinforcing the importance of the KYC guidelines in safeguarding global security. "The whole ecosystem requires that there is a very good understanding of who is producing these chemicals, who is moving them, and what is the end product, so that we maintain the security not just for this country, but the region and by extension the world."
Participants in the Know Your Customer (KYC) workshop organised as part of the Chemical Safety and Security Tools Development Programme by OPCW in Kenya, Nairobi, in February 2025.
The workshop was well attended by 15 participants from a diverse range of countries, including Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Germany, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Background
The Chemical Safety and Security Management Programme promotes a culture of chemical safety and security by sharing policies and best practices with chemistry practitioners, policymakers, National Authorities, and industry associations. It enhances capacity-building and cooperation through specialized training and forums where stakeholders can exchange knowledge and discuss best practices.
Article XI of the Chemical Weapons Convention promotes international cooperation and capacity-building, ensuring developing nations have access to training, technology transfer, and chemical safety and security tools. It supports the safe advancement of chemical industries while preventing misuse, fostering global security and sustainable development.
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.
