Regional Training for Asian National Authorities Held in Qatar

A regional training course for representatives of National Authorities of States Parties in Asia who are involved in fulfilling Article VI declaration requirements of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) was held in Doha from 7 to 9 December 2010. More than 40 participants from 25 States Parties attended the training course.*

In opening the course, Brig. Gen. (Pilot) Nasser Mohammed Al-Ali, Chairman of the Qatar National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons, called for developing more synergies among CWC States Parties “to combat the danger of chemical weapons that is threatening human life with destruction, as can be inflicted by any other weapon of mass destruction.”

In his keynote address the OPCW Deputy Director-General, Mr. John Freeman, said the training course was conceived on the basis of feedback received from participants attending other capacity-building courses during the past two years. The course in Doha addressed those areas where participants felt additional support from the OPCW would be most beneficial to them and to their National Authorities in better identifying potentially declarable Article VI activities. The Deputy Director-General also thanked the State of Qatar for its consistent support provided to the OPCW for capacity-building activities.

The opening of the training course was also graced by H.E. General (Staff) Hamad bin Ali Al-Attiyah, Chief of Staff, Qatari Armed Forces.

The course was the first hands-on training in the preparation of Article VI declarations to be offered by the OPCW for National Authority representatives in Asia. Participants took part in table top exercises to better understand the steps that are required to identify declarable Article VI activities and to process this information for submission to the OPCW. The course also offered comprehensive information on technical issues relating to the transfers’ regime and its implementation.

The training course was financially supported by the State of Qatar.

* Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam and Yemen.

Categories: Asia, National implementation