OPCW holds workshop to assist nations in implementing Chemical Weapons Convention provisions

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently conducted a workshop attended by chemistry professionals from across Africa to assist in the implementation of industry-related provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

The workshop, held in Nairobi, included 36 attendees from 16 different state parties ranging from government officials responsible for chemical industries, lower-level chemical industry professionals and academics from various universities.

The workshop’s program included talks on industry outreach, chemical safety, security risk assessment for accident prevention and preparedness, simulation technologies applied to risk assessment, chemical security threats, and mitigation strategies.

“It is essential to learn how to reduce and eliminate the safety and security risks at chemical plants,” Rohan Perera, senior international cooperation officer for OPCW, said. “While large companies usually have proper safety and security practices in place, small and medium enterprises require a degree of capacity building. This workshop presents a step-by-step guide on how to set up and manage an effective safety and security framework in a chemical plant.”

Training for the workshop was supported by a voluntary contribution from the European Union.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ mission is to implement provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention in order to ensure that the world is free of chemical weapons and the threat of their use.