National Authorities Training Course Commences in the United Kingdom

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), in conjunction with the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is conducting a five-day training session on declarations and inspections under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham, near Swindon, England, from 15 to 19 January 2007. 18 participants from the following OPCW Member States are attending this course: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Philippines, Portugal and United Arab Emirates.

The purpose of the training session is to provide technical assistance to Member States in identifying chemical industry facilities declarable under Article VI of the CWC and in submitting required industry declarations. The session is part of an OPCW project which has been running since August 2001.

The training session includes lectures and presentations on identifying declarable activities and on common indicators of such activities. Topics such as the methodology used for selecting chemical industry facilities for inspection and for conducting such inspections, including the role of National Authority escorts in receiving such inspections, will also be covered.

The National Authority of the United Kingdom will provide information on its practical experience with Article VI declarations and inspections.

The session enables participants to assess the prevailing situation in their home countries and to discuss with the Secretariat any follow up actions relating to declarable activities under Article VI, including possible additional bilateral technical assistance, as may be required.

PR2 / 2007

Categories: National implementation