By Consensus, OPCW Executive Council Recommends H.E. Mr Ahmet Üzümcü of Turkey for Appointment as Director-General

H.E. Mr Ahmet Üzümcü is currently the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations Office at Geneva

H.E. Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations Office in Geneva

The 41-member Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) decided today to recommend H.E. Mr Ahmet Üzümcü for appointment as the Organisation’s next Director-General.

The Executive Council reached its decision to recommend Mr Üzümcü by consensus on the final day of its 58th Session this morning in The Hague. The recommendation will be considered by the 14th Session of the Conference of the States Parties when it convenes from 30 November to 4 December 2009 in The Hague.

The incumbent OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, congratulated the Executive Council for its decision and Mr Üzümcü for his recommendation.

“With its consensus decision today the Executive Council reaffirmed the OPCW as an example of successful multilateralism, and has recommended a candidate of sterling personal and professional qualities to lead the Organisation into the future,” Director-General Pfirter said. “At the same time, I wish to extend my appreciation to the other six candidates, and to their States Parties, for the exceptional grace and wisdom they demonstrated in the course of the selection process. This is indeed a proud moment for the OPCW, one that demonstrates the maturity and profound unity of purpose which the Organisation has attained in its mission to create a world free of chemical weapons.”

Ahmet Üzümcü (pron. oo-ZOOM-choo) is a career diplomat with extensive multilateral experience in political-military affairs and disarmament and proliferation issues. He is currently Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva (see résumé).

Press Release 09 /2009