On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the Director-General is pleased to invite government representatives responsible for chemical safety and security management, representatives from chemical industry associations, and managers involved in chemical industry safety and security to submit applications for a workshop for Member States of the OPCW in the Asian region on the peaceful development and use of chemistry, to be held in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, from 30 October to 1 November 2018.
The workshop is being organised in order to further promote international cooperation programmes that focus on chemical industry outreach and industry-related aspects of the implementation of Article XI of the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”). The aim of this workshop is to enhance communication among stakeholders in the region, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and industry associations working with SMEs. The overall goal is to promote the use of chemistry related to the Convention and to enhance national capacities in regional development based on the experience of the Republic of Korea in chemical technology and industrial development. By promoting and disseminating standardised and best practices in chemical safety, the workshop will benefit chemical industry personnel who are involved in safety and security management issues, enhance the capacities of National Authorities and chemical industry associations in Asian Member States, and indirectly benefit the general public as a whole.
The objectives of the workshop include the following:
- to provide an opportunity for participating States Parties to consider and discuss specific chemical safety and security management issues related to chemical processes that have a direct bearing on the effective implementation of the Convention;
- to contribute to the sharing of information and the exchange of experiences regarding practical management programmes;
- to review best practices in the safety and security management of chemicals and to generate, through interactions and discussions, recommendations on the structure for future standardised workshops to promote these practices in SMEs in Asian countries;
- to foster broader cooperation among States Parties on issues related to the chemical industry toward achieving the objectives of Article XI of the Convention to promote the peaceful use of chemistry; and
- to enhance and promote the safe and secure handling of chemicals at the national level.