OPCW Commemorates Africa Day

Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) extends it congratulations to African States Parties from Africa that are marking this special day.

African States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) play an important role in implementing the chemical weapons ban effectively in the region. In 2002, the OAU adopted in the landmark “Decision on the Implementation and Universality of the Chemical Weapons Convention” (AHG/Dec. 181 (XXXVIII)), which called for the CWC’s universal application in Africa.

Since 2003, the OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, has been present at each of the African Union’s Summits to extend the OPCW’s support in promoting the CWC’s universal adherence in Africa that aims to completely eliminate chemical weapons, prevent their proliferation and foster the peaceful uses of chemistry. The OPCW provides on-going, practical and on-site support for African States Parties’ activities in building their capacity in the area of national implementation of the Convention

Since October 2003, when the OPCW launched its Universality Action Plan, ten African States have become OPCW Member States: Libya, Chad, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Liberia, the Comoros and the Central African Republic.

At the 2006 African Union Summit, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Professor Alpha Oumar Konaré, and Director-General Pfirter, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which underscores the commitment of the Organisations to work together in the effective implementation of the CWC in the African region.

On the occasion of the Africa Day, Director-General Pfirter noted that in first decade of the CWC’s implementation, the OPCW has made rapid strides towards achieving universal adherence to the Convention, noting that only five African States have yet to join the OPCW. He reaffirmed that the OPCW is making every effort to encourage these States to join the Convention and reiterated the OPCW’s commitment to provide assistance to OPCW Member States to ensure that all States in Africa will be able to develop the national means to implement the CWC.

PR56 / 2007

Categories: Africa, Remembrances, commemorations, condolences