The Hague, 25 January 2004

Chad Ratifies the Chemical Weapons Convention

On 13 February 2004, Chad deposited its instrument of ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Depositary of the CWC. On 14 March 2004, thirty days after the deposit of its instrument of ratification, Chad will become the 161st State Party to the Convention.

Chad now joins the other 160 States Parties, including 39 African countries that are Member States of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), marking a further step towards the Convention’s universality on the African continent. The goal of universal adherence to the chemical weapons ban in Africa has been reiterated by the African Union in its Summit conferences held in Durban, 2002, and Maputo, 2003.

Following these important pronouncements by the African Union, four countries from the African continent have joined the OPCW (Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde, Libya and Chad) since July 2003.

Chad will now be eligible to benefit from the OPCW’s international cooperation and assistance programmes, which provide support in drafting and enacting the legislation necessary to implement the Convention at the national level, enabling States Parties to detect, prosecute and punish any breach of the chemical weapons ban committed on their territory or by their nationals anywhere in the world.

In addition, the Organisation provides support in the practical implementation of the Convention’s stipulations, in particular in establishing an effective National Authority to facilitate annual declarations and OPCW inspections, as well as to monitor chemical transfers and to maintain relevant chemical transfer restrictions.

Member States also receive training and may draw upon the Organisation’s expertise to enhance their national civil protection in the event of a chemical weapons attack or the threat of attack.

The Organisation promotes international cooperation in the peaceful uses of chemistry by sponsoring research, training and internships to enhance Member States’ ability to effectively implement the Convention, a key factor in ensuring the non-proliferation of chemical weapons globally.

Chad’s accession draws us closer to the goal of the universality ban on chemical weapons and calls for the States that have not signed the Convention to adhere to the CWC without delay.