Hague, 14 May 2023 (TDI): On Saturday, Pakistan’s Ambassador in the Netherlands, Suljuk Mustansar Tarar, inaugurated the Center for Chemistry and Technology at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the Hague. The new OPCW center will enhance the capacity of the organization.
In 2020, the Government of Pakistan accorded 10000 Euros to the OPCW Trust Fund for upgrading the current OPCW Laboratory and Equipment Store. The fund was used in the construction of the recently inaugurated “ChemTech Center” at the OPCW.
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The OPCW and Pakistan
The OPCW aims to eliminate chemical weapons from the world. The organization works to contribute to peace by completely disarming states. It also advances global economic development. Moreover, in recognition of its effort to make the world Peaceful, the OPCW received the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 2013.
The OPCW has more than 190 member states, including Pakistan. Pakistan signed the Chemicals Weapon Convention on 13 January 1993. Subsequently, it ratified the convention on 28 October 1997. Moreover, Pakistan is currently a member of the Executive Council of the OPCW.
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The Executive Council comprises 41 member states elected by the Conference of the States Parties. The Executive Council oversees the implementation of and compliance with the Convention.
Apart from the Chemical Weapons Convention of the OPCW, Pakistan is also a party to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).
The Chemical Weapons Convention came into effect on 29 April 1997. The Convention was the first multilateral disarmament agreement that enabled the demolition of weapons of mass destruction. Currently, 193 states ratified the convention.
Furthermore, the convention umbrella is extended to 98% of the world’s population. The OPCW destroyed 99% of the world’s declared inventory of chemical weapons. Out of 97 Chemical weapons production facilities, it destroyed 74.
