Distinguished participants,
Dear Ms Bentiri,
Dear colleagues,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Technical Meeting of Experts to Establish a Global Academic Network in Support of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Today, we have gathered a truly diverse and distinguished group of experts from different regions, academic backgrounds, and areas of expertise.
Your presence reflects the global nature of our mission and the collective responsibility to sustain the norm against chemical weapons.
From the outset, I wish to thank France, represented here by the Deputy Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Ms Latifa Bentiri, for its generous support which enabled this event.
I also want to thank the OPCW colleagues whose work made this meeting possible.
Distinguished participants,
We meet at a critical moment for international disarmament and non-proliferation.
In July 2023, the OPCW verified the irreversible destruction of all declared chemical weapons stockpiles.
However, this achievement does not permit complacency.
New security realities and the risk of re-emergence of chemical weapons demand vigilance and further action.
Over the past decade, despite our collective achievements, chemical weapons have been used in several countries.
In the ongoing war in Ukraine, there are allegations of use of chemical weapons by both sides.
Following the new situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Technical Secretariat is working with the interim authorities to determine the full scope of the Assad-era chemical weapons programme and verify its destruction.
A particular challenge in Syria, and beyond, is the risk of chemical weapons falling into the hands of non-State actors.
The threat of chemical terrorism remains, unfortunately, ever present.
Meanwhile, the rapid evolution of science and technology creates opportunities to enhance the implementation of the Convention but also presents risks of misuse.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), in particular, can amplify capabilities across the chemical sciences.
In the right hands, that means faster green chemistry, better environmental monitoring, and stronger ability to detect and counteract the use of toxic chemicals.
In the wrong hands, it could accelerate design and development of new toxic compounds or enable concealment through novel synthetic pathways.
Our task is not to halt scientific progress, it is to shape it, embedding safety, security ethics, and responsible use from the outset.
Recognising this, we, together with our partners, have convened a series of fora on AI and chemical safety and security.
In January 2025, the Director-General established a Temporary Working Group on AI under the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), to understand the impact of this technology on the object and purpose of the Convention.
Another example is the ongoing OPCW AI Research Challenge, which aims to identify ways in which AI can strengthen our capabilities.
Distinguished participants,
We are fortunate to conduct this meeting here at the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (ChemTech Centre).
The Centre – funded by generous voluntary contributions from 57 countries including France, the EU, and other donors – greatly enhances the capacity of the Secretariat.
It is designed for the kind of collaborative, hands-on work that links laboratories, first responders, civil society and academia.
As we look to the future, we also mark the tenth anniversary of the Hague Ethical Guidelines.
Drafted in 2015 under OPCW auspices and endorsed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and others, they promote responsible conduct in the chemical sciences.
They remain a touchstone for curricula, codes of conduct and institutional policies around the world.
The anniversary is not simply commemorative. It is a reminder that ethics must keep pace with capabilities.
Distinguished participants,
So why a Global Academic Network, and why now?
The idea of establishing such a Network originated from the Advisory Board on Education and Outreach (ABEO).
As an Organisation we see a clear need for a network that:
- Supports the implementation of the Convention by connecting universities and research institutes with authorities and practitioners;
- Builds a new generation of “CWC knowledge champions” – students and early-career professionals who are conversant in chemical safety and the ethics of dual-use;
- Shares practical tools, ranging from teaching modules to open lab exercises and tabletop scenarios, that can be adapted across regions and languages; and
- Translates frontier science, including AI-enabled methods, into responsible practices for detection, monitoring, incident response and forensics.
We are not starting from scratch, but take inspiration from existing successful models.
Examples include the OPCW Associate Programme and university partnerships, such as the new diploma initiative at the National Autonomous University of Mexico focused on chemical disarmament.
Dear participants,
The aim is to deliver three concrete outcomes by the end of this meeting:
- A concise Terms of Reference that define the Network’s mission, governance, and a light-touch coordination mechanism;
- A list of initial activities; and
- A roster of “CWC Knowledge Champions”, who will pilot curricula, co-author teaching notes, and mentor students, among other activities.
I would also like to outline four guiding principles for your deliberations:
First, science as a priority:
Our authority stems from evidence. The Network should focus on peer-reviewed methods, inter-laboratory proficiency, and transparent sharing of curricula and validation studies.
Second, global equity:
The benefits of advanced methods must be accessible to all regions.
Third, partnerships with practice:
Academia and real-world users are linked and co-develop training.
Last but not least, values:
All activities should be anchored to the Hague Ethical Guidelines and the object and purpose of the Convention.
Dear colleagues,
On the OPCW side, we will support the Network in practical ways, ensuring coordination and enhancing synergies with pre-existing programmes. We will ensure that the activities of the Network inform, and are informed by, those of the SAB and ABEO.
I am confident that you will launch a Network that is practical, inclusive and principled – one that keeps the OPCW’s work at the frontier of science and keeps science firmly within the boundaries of peace.
I wish you every success in your deliberations over the coming days.
Thank you for your kind attention.