OPCW holds Asia Meeting in New Delhi

The 3 days Regional Meeting is expected to strengthen regional cooperation between Asian countries in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention

The 23rd Regional Meeting of National Authorities of States Parties in Asia, organised by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and hosted by National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) India, opened on 1st July at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi in the presence of senior officials from the OPCW, international delegates from national authorities across Asia, senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and the NACWC, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India.

The 3 days Regional Meeting is expected to strengthen regional cooperation between Asian countries in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Regional Meetings of National Authorities are organised by OPCW annually to support implementation of the Convention through capacity building of National Authorities. This annual meeting provides an opportunity to exchange experiences, information and best practices for CWC implementation, and also provides a platform to present and discuss issues and solutions for complying with obligations under the Convention that are of particular importance to the National Authorities regionally. This interaction fosters bilateral and regional cooperation and bolster networks among National Authorities.

The meeting was attended by 38 delegates from 24 States Parties (countries) from the Asia region including Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Cambodia, Iraq, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Philippines, Oman, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam along with officials from the OPCW and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD).

During this Regional Meeting, the delegates shared their experiences, discussed national implementation challenges, best practices, and opportunities for further cooperation. The sessions covered discussions on the legislative frameworks, chemical safety and security, role stakeholders including the chemical industry and the use of Artificial Intelligence. The OPCW provided important updates on synergies between United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 and the CWC as well as discussions on future Mentorship Partnership Programmes.

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) came into force in 1997, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, with its 193 Member States, it oversees the global endeavour to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons. The OPCW was awarded the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize for its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons.

India is an original signatory to the Convention. The National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) is the national authority responsible for implementing the Convention in India. In 2024, NACWC successfully mentored the Kenya National Authority under the OPCW Mentorship/ Partnership Programme to strengthen its implementation capacity.

The Indian Chemical Council (ICC), India’s oldest Chemical Industry Association works closely with the NACWC for reaching out to industry. ICC brought laurels for India as it was awarded the OPCW-The Hague Award 2024, as a co-recipient, for its role in promoting chemical safety, compliance with the Convention, and enhancing industry-wide security practices in India.

This is the first time globally that a chemical industry body was honoured with this award. The ‘OPCW-The Hague Award’ recognizes individuals and organizations that play a significant role in advancing the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention.