OPCW director-general commends destruction of Libya’s chemical weapon stockpile

The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, applauded the complete destruction of Libya’s stockpile of Category 2 chemical materials at a ceremony held recently in Munster, Germany.

The remainder of the country’s chemical agents, approximately 500 tons, was destroyed at a chemical weapons destruction facility operated by GEKA mbH in Munster. The OPCW verified the completed destruction of the materials in November 2017.

“Today’s event marks a historic occasion for disarmament and international security,” Üzümcü said at the event. “It heralds the end of Libya’s chemical demilitarisation process and another step towards fulfilling the core goal of the Chemical Weapons Convention – the complete and permanent eradication of all chemical weapons.”

In July 2016, the OPCW adopted a decision requesting necessary international assistance in response to the Libyan Government of National Accord’s request for help destroying its remaining Category 2 chemical weapons.

Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States provided personnel, technical expertise, equipment, and financial resources. Denmark provided maritime assets to transport the chemical agents to Germany.

The destruction of weapons in the GEKA facility brought the total amount of the Libyan Category 2 chemical weapons eliminated to 100 percent. Libya had previously destroyed all of its Category 1 and 3 chemical weapons.