Chemical Weapons Assistance and Protection Workshop Held in Colombia

From 11 to 13 December 2006, the Government of Colombia, with the support of the Government of the Czech Republic and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, jointly organised a regional workshop on assistance and protection against chemical weapons in Bogotá, Colombia to support Latin America and Caribbean countries. The three-day Workshop was attended by 14 representatives of the following States Parties: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

This workshop is designed as a forum for personnel that are tasked to respond to incidents or accidents with toxic chemical substances. The workshop facilitated the establishment of a regional network on assistance and protection against the threat or use of chemical weapons, which will include information on training methods for first responders.

Workshop participants received an overview of the forms of assistance that the OPCW can provide. They exchanged information and experience in developing the means to provide assistance as Article X of the Convention foresees. Participants from the region also assessed their future cooperation in offering assistance to the OPCW in order to respond effectively in case of a request for assistance.

The workshop facilitated the establishment of a regional network on assistance and protection against the threat or use of chemical wepoans, which will include information on training methods for first responders.

The Colombian Government was represented by the Viceminister for Multilateral Affairs, H.E. Mrs Adriana Mejia; the Director of Political Multilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E Ambassador José Nicolás Rivas; the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Guillermo Fernández de Soto; the Director of National Prevention System, Mrs Luz Amanda Pulido; the General Inspector of the Armed Forces, General Eduardo Behar; and the General Manager of the Military Industry-National Authority, Colonel Carlos Enrique Villarreal.

PR98 / 2006

Categories: Assistance and Protection, Latin America and the Caribbean