Legal workshop on the Chemical Weapons Convention Held for Central and West Africa

A legal workshop for National Authorities of States Parties in Central and West Africa was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 25-27 July 2006. Forty participants from 18 States Parties (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo (DR), Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo) attended the workshop. The workshop was a follow-up to the meeting held in Yaounde, Cameroon from 5-7 July 2005 and was designed to continue providing practical assistance to participating Member States in order for them to complete their requirements in accordance with the Plan of Action regarding the implementation of Article VII obligations and decisions of the Conference of the States Parties in this regard.

The legal workshop was opened by H.E. Mr Joseph Pare, Minister for Secondary and Higher Education and Scientific Research. Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Mr Pare noted that “the constant efforts made by Member States mean that the implementation of the Convention is an on-going process. Action by the States Parties does not stop with either the ratification of the Convention or with the initial declarations to the OPCW and the establishment of the National Authority. Quite the opposite. The national legislation and administrative measures translate into action the commitment of States Parties. These commitments in a larger sense also contribute to peace and stability on our continent and elsewhere in the world. The Ouagadougou workshop has witnessed the enormous progress made by the participating States Parties. Every small step is important and the States Parties are more determined than ever to continue working towards achieving our common objective of full and effective implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention”.

At the workshop, representatives from the participating States Parties and the OPCW reviewed drafts of national implementing legislation and related administrative measures. They also reviewed existing implementation legislation of other Member States, including that of Burkina Faso which adopted its national implementing legislation in April 2006. The meeting also provided a valuable opportunity for the OPCW to discuss with participating Member States their requirements for assistance in implementing their Article VII obligations.

PR43 / 2006

Categories: Africa, National implementation