(26 - 30 September 1994)

SOUTH AFRICA

AFRICAN REGIONAL SEMINAR ON NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

The first African Regional Seminar on national implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which was held in Pretoria, South Africa from 12-14 September 1994, was an outstanding success. South Africa hosted the Seminar with the assistance of the Secretariat of the Preparatory Commission for the OPCW in order to encourage all African States to sign and ratify the Convention before it enters into force.

The African Regional Seminar was attended by 35 African Signatory States of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) (Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte D'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe). The South African Government also invited African States which have not yet signed the Convention to participate in the deliberations of the Seminar: three non-signatory States (the Sudan, Chad and Angola) attended. A number of States from outside the region as well as non-governmental organisations also participated as observers.

The seminar was opened by the South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Aziz Pahad, while the keynote address was delivered by the Executive Secretary, Mr. I. R. Kenyon. The South African Government provided financial and logistical support, while financial support was also received from the Government of Norway and the International Support Centre of the United States.

The objectives of the Seminar included identifying practical problems in regard to implementation of the Convention, helping the Secretariat to establish means and forms of assisting African Member States in their preparation for national implementation, and providing an opportunity for an exchange of views and opinions amongst African signatory as well as non-signatory States.

The South African Government is of the opinion that these objectives were accomplished in that African States now have a clearer picture of the national preparations needed for the implementation of the Convention. African signatory States are now better equipped for the proper and effective implementation of the Convention. The presentations made to and the documentation distributed at the Seminar will undoubtedly assist preparations for implementation in the African signatory States.

The South African Government strongly supports initiatives aimed at enlisting the support of all members of the Organisation of African Unity for the implementation of the Convention. The South African Government views the signing and ratification of the Convention by all African States as important steps in promoting peace and strengthening cooperation throughout the African continent, to free Africa from the threat of weapons of mass destruction. South Africa believes that the African Regional Seminar firmly supported this goal.

The South African Government would like to express the hope that the African Seminar will lead to more meetings of this nature during which African countries will exchange views on preparations for entry into force. In this regard it is suggested that programmes of future seminars should allow more time for informal exchange of views on national implementation.

The South African Government wishes to express its gratitude to the Executive Secretary and the Secretariat for their assistance in making arrangements for the African Seminar. South Africa would also like to thank fellow African delegations for their assistance in promoting this Seminar in their capitals.

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