Antigua and Barbuda Establishes CWC National Authority

In compliance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Antigua and Barbuda has informed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that the Attorney General’s Chambers has been designated as the CWC National Authority.

Every State Party to the CWC must be capable of undertaking several tasks that are crucially important in eliminating all chemical weapons, preventing the manufacture of new chemical weapons, as well as deterring any attempted use of chemical weapons. These national implementation tasks are pursued and facilitated by the National Authorities.

States Parties are obliged to declare and to eliminate all chemical weapons stockpiles and chemical weapons production facilities. States Parties submit declarations of relevant chemical weapons–related and industrial activities in order to verify compliance with the Convention. The National Authority is empowered to acquire this information and to inform the OPCW.

The National Authorities serve as an efficient channel of communication between the OPCW’s 178 Member States and the Technical Secretariat. The OPCW’s on-site inspections of industrial and chemical weapons-related sites are facilitated by the National Authorities. They will respond should any Member State request assistance, for instance in the event of the threatened or actual use of chemical weapons. The international transfer of certain toxic chemicals is monitored and national compliance with the transfers regime is enforced by the National Authorities. The National Authority also plays an indispensable role in protecting the confidentiality of classified information and cooperating in the promotion of the peaceful uses of chemistry.

All of the activities undertaken by the National Authorities ensure the global chemical weapons ban’s effective national application.

As at 16 June 2006, 162 of the 178 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention have established National Authorities.

PR34 / 2006

Categories: Latin America and the Caribbean, National implementation