On 19 June 2008 Guinea-Bissau became the 184th State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). In compliance with its obligations as a new State Party to the CWC, Guinea-Bissau has informed the OPCW that it has designated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as its National Authority.
A National Authority is crucial to ensuring the effective implementation of the CWC within each State Party’s national jurisdiction. Article VII, paragraph 4 of the Convention states: “In order to fulfil its obligations under this Convention, each State Party shall designate or establish a National Authority to serve as the national focal point for effective liaison with the Organisation and other States Parties. Each State Party shall notify the Organisation of its National Authority at the time that this Convention enters into force for it.”
The National Authority has the responsibility of implementing the provisions of the CWC at the national level. To meet its basic obligations each State Party must be able to submit all the required declarations, communicate with the OPCW, cooperate with other States Parties, facilitate OPCW inspections, respond to OPCW requests for assistance, protect the confidentiality of classified information, monitor and enforce national compliance, and cooperate in the peaceful uses of chemistry. States Parties are also obliged to declare and to eliminate all chemical weapons stockpiles and chemical weapons production facilities. The National Authority plays an indispensable role in all of these activities.
As at 24 June 2008, 177 (96%) of the 184 States Parties to the CWC have established or designated National Authorities.