Distinguished delegates and guests,
I address you today as the Deputy Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
This is not a role I could have conceived of when I embarked on my career close to 40 years ago.
As a young woman joining my country’s foreign service, I did not imagine that I would rise to the rank of Ambassador and find myself here at the forefront of an organisation so vital to international peace and security.
I am sharing this with you because I hope that it inspires you to set your sights high and follow your ambitions.
In an ever-changing world, there are endless opportunities to make a contribution to resolving national, regional or global challenges.
You will spend the next few days debating a wide range of topics that are on the minds of today’s world leaders.
Achieving a peaceful, safe and secure world is one of them.
In this context, the existence and use of chemical weapons, such inhumane and cruel armaments, is a stark reality.
One which my organisation, the OPCW, is working to address.
The OPCW’s mandate is simple.
It is to achieve a world free from chemical weapons and to ensure that they never re-emerge.
In that regard, our work directly contributes to global peace, security, and development.
Over the past 28 years, the Organisation has achieved remarkable successes towards the fulfilment of this goal.
With 193 States Parties, the Chemical Weapons Convention is the most successful disarmament treaty, banning an entire class of weapons of mass destruction with near universal membership.
In 2013, the OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its “extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons”.
Our industry verification regime remains the international gold standard and is essential in securing confidence in adherence to the Convention and building trust among Member States.
Every year, we conduct hundreds of inspections in numerous countries around the world to verify that no prohibited activities are being undertaken.
In 2023, the destruction of all declared stockpiles of chemical weapons was completed, under strict verification by the OPCW.
This entailed the irreversible elimination of more than 72,000 metric tonnes of such weapons over more than 26 years.
This was a historic achievement for the Organisation, for international disarmament and for multilateralism.
However, it only completes the first part of the OPCW’s mandate.
Our focus now is on preventing chemical weapons from re-emerging in the hands of States and non-state actors alike.
In that context challenges remain, and new threats are emerging.
Four countries are yet to become members of the Organisation – Egypt, Israel, North Korea and South Sudan.
One or more of these States may possess chemical weapons.
There are abandoned and old chemical weapons that still need to be recovered and destroyed in many places in the world.
Moreover, recent use of chemical warfare agents in Iraq, Malaysia, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and Syria has been a source of great alarm.
In some cases, the use was perpetrated by non-state actors.
In Syria in particular, following the fall of the Assad-government, we have been working hard with the new authorities to ensure that any remaining chemical weapons in the country can be secured and safely destroyed, and not fall into the wrong hands.
In the ongoing war in Ukraine, there are allegations of use of chemical weapons by both sides – Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
Recently, the Secretariat documented the presences of toxic chemicals on the battlefield in several instances.
These regrettable trends illustrate that preventing the re-emergence of these weapons in any form will remain a priority for the Organisation.
Dear participants,
Your generation in particular, is fully aware of the immense benefits of the rapid developments in science and technology.
Yet, these advantages co-exist with challenges for our Organisation and many others.
For instance, synthetic biology, drone technology, and 3D printing are some of the new technologies that are improving many aspects of our lives.
At the same time, the risk of their misuse, including by non-state actors such as chemical terrorists, requires the Organisation to remain alert.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is of particular interest, as it cuts across all these new technologies, accelerating progress and magnifying impact.
As such, AI has made it cheaper and faster to develop and potentially use very dangerous chemicals for malicious purposes.
This, and other scientific developments, expand and add complexity to the threats facing the Convention, beyond what its drafters could have imagined.
The OPCW is currently assessing the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the implementation of the Convention, to determine how we can respond.
Dear participants,
Organisations like yours, the European Youth Parliament, assure the world that the future of global security is in good hands.
You are the ones who will ensure that the ideals of peace and justice are upheld when global norms and multilateralism are being eroded, and when conflict and geopolitical tensions persist.
How can you, as young leaders, contribute to these goals?
First, I encourage you to stay informed and engaged.
Understanding the science and politics behind global issues such as disarmament and non-proliferation is essential.
By learning more about the OPCW, the international treaties that govern Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the science that underpins our work, you can develop lasting solutions.
Second, I challenge you to become active advocates for peace.
Whether through local activism, or through pursuing careers in diplomacy, science, or international law, you can work to create a world where weapons of mass destruction are a thing of the past.
Third, I urge you to work together to foster collaboration and mutual trust.
It is only through dialogue and cooperation that we can hope to achieve meaningful change.
You are surrounded here today by your colleagues and friends from various countries in Europe.
Seize this opportunity to practise tolerance, to respect different views, and to learn from others.
These values are essential components of multilateralism, from which treaties such as the Chemical Weapons Convention were formed.
Dear participants,
Standing here today and seeing you inspires me.
I know you will seize every opportunity to make your mark and to rise to the challenges ahead.
Thank you for your kind attention.
I wish you all the best in your deliberations.