Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
CONTACT DETAILS
Johan de Wittlaan 32, 2517 JR The Hague, The Netherlands
Telephone : +31 (70) 416-3300
Facsimile : +31 (70) 306-3535
E-mail : webmaster@opcw.org
HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons
entered into force on 29 April 1997. The Organisation
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was
created under the Convention to ensure the implementation
of its provisions and to provide a forum for consultation
and co-operation.
The CWC is a global disarmament agreement that
bans the development, production, stockpiling and
use of chemical weapons, and provides for the destruction
of existing chemical weapons stockpiles and related
facilities within a specified time frame. The OPCW
in The Hague is the implementing organisation. The
work of the OPCW includes monitoring the status
of implementation measures by Member States, as
well as the conduct of verification measures by
the Secretariat of the organisation through compulsory
annual national declarations by States Parties,
controls on the transfer of certain chemicals listed
in the Convention, and a system of routine visits
and challenge inspections by inspectors of the OPCW
technical Secretariat. The organisation also provides
a forum for consultation and co-operation amongst
States Parties.
The OPCW has three principal organs: The Conference
of States Parties, the Executive Council and the
Technical Secretariat.
The Conference of States Parties is the principal
decision-making organ of the Organisation and meets
annually in The Hague. The Fifth Session of the
Conference of States Parties met in The Hague from
15 to 19 May 2000.
The Executive Council is the governing body of
the organisation and is responsible to the Conference.
It considers any issues or matters within its competence
affecting the Convention and its implementation,
including concerns regarding compliance. The Executive
Council consists of 41 members sitting for a two
year term on a rotational basis with due regard
being paid to equitable geographical distribution,
the importance of the chemical industry, as well
as political and security interests. The Chair of
the EC is Germany for the year from May 2000. Vice-Chairs
are Chile, Pakistan, Romania and South Africa.
The Technical Secretariat, which has its headquarters
in The Hague, has 507 staff including 203 inspection
personnel. It is responsible for implementing the
practical work of the Organisation, particularly
in the area of verification, and disseminates information
to Member States on the implementation of the Convention.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COOPERATING ORGANISATIONS
Department of Defence
Department of Trade and Industry
Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of
Mass Destruction
Representatives of the South African chemical industry
RELEVANT TREATIES/PROTOCOLS
The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
MEMBER STATES
141 states have ratified or acceded to the CWC.
Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus,
Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Fiji,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait,
Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of
Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia,
San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab
Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
GENERAL COMMENTS
South Africa became an original signatory to the
CWC on 14 January 1993 and ratified the convention
on 13 September 1995. Due to its large chemical
industry, South Africa remains one of nine African
countries to be a member of the Executive Council
of the OPCW. South Africa served on the Executive
Council from 1997-1999 and has been re-elected for
the period 2000-2002.
South Africa submits annual declarations detailing
chemical weapons related activity - this includes
facilities that manufacture a small quantity of
highly toxic chemicals (Schedule 1) for permitted
medical, pharmaceutical, or other peaceful purposes.
In the period 1998-2000, the OPCW conducted seven
inspections in South African facilities.
The South African Government has committed itself
to a policy of non-proliferation, disarmament and
arms control which covers all weapons of mass destruction
and extends to its concerns relating to the proliferation
of conventional weapons. This policy forms an integral
part of its commitment to democracy, human rights,
sustainable development, social justice and environmental
protection.
A primary goal of South Africa's policy is to reinforce
and promote South Africa as a responsible producer,
possessor and trader of defence-related products
and advanced technologies in the nuclear, biological,
chemical and missile fields. South Africa, in so
doing, promotes the benefits which non-proliferation,
disarmament and arms control hold for international
peace and security, particularly to countries in
Africa and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
