The United States is funding $7 million in assistance over two years for the construction of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Centre for Chemistry and Technology. This assistance, provided by the Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, will be added to the donations of numerous other states to build the state-of-the-art analytical laboratory for the OPCW in The Netherlands.

The OPCW was established to ensure the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, a treaty meant to end the scourge of chemical weapons worldwide. The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission has recently investigated chemical weapons use in Syria, and the Technical Secretariat provided assistance to the UK in the aftermath of Russia’s unconscionable use of a nerve agent in Salisbury, UK.

A new laboratory will enable the OPCW to enhance investigatory capabilities; to synthesize safely small quantities of chemical weapons agents for research; and to evaluate and deploy analytical and protective equipment.

The United States encourages States Parties that have yet to contribute to the laboratory to consider supporting this important project.   back...