CWC Advanced Course Held for National Authorites of Lusophone States Parties in Brazil

An advanced course for officials of National Authorities from Lusophone States Parties, who are responsible for implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), was held in Salvador, Brazil from 18 to 21 September 2007. Twenty-eight representatives from the following States Parties and non-State Parties participated in the course: Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Principe, and Timor-Leste. This meeting was also attended by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, local industry and other relevant Brazilian organisations.

In his statement to the participants, Mr Sergio Frazão Araujo, Coordinator General of Sensitive Goods, on behalf of the Interim Minister of Science and Technology of Brazil, indicated that for the Brazilian government this course was an opportunity to strengthen the ties between Brazil and the Lusophone community in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation of chemical weapons, a category of weapons of mass destruction. Mr Frazão reiterated his country’s unwavering commitment with the goals and objectives of the CWC and its willingness to collaborate with other States Parties to promote the effective implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Mr Frazão underlined the relevance and importance of the universality of the Convention and, therefore, welcomed the presence of States that are still to join the Convention.

This course was specifically designed to develop a wider awareness of personnel from Lusophone States Parties of the inspection procedures foreseen by the non-proliferation provisions of the Convention. Participants in the course discussed issues related to the identification of declarable activities under the Convention, the role of the National Authority in informing and preparing the facilities to receive inspection teams, and the rights and obligations of the State Party regarding inspection activities conducted by OPCW in its country. A trial inspection exercise took place at Dow Brasil Nordeste Ltda Camaçari plant, located in the largest South America chemical complex, which is established at the municipality of Camaçari, State of Bahia. At the trial inspection exercise, the participants had the opportunity to consolidate the knowledge they received from the course lectures by observing how the inspection activities were practically conducted by the OPCW inspection team, the site’s personnel and the National Authority.

PR104/2007

Categories: National implementation