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Australia contributes over €60,000 to OPCW missions in Syria

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—6 July 2023—Australia has contributed greater than €60,000 to the Belief Fund for Syria Missions of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The contribution will probably be used in the direction of the total elimination of the Syrian Chemical Weapons Programme in addition to establishing info surrounding the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria, in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Conference, related selections of the policy-making organs of the OPCW and resolutions of the United Nations Safety Council.

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The voluntary contribution was formalised on 4 July 2023 throughout an official assembly held between the Ambassador, Everlasting Consultant of Australia to the OPCW, H.E. Mr Gregory Alan French, and the OPCW Director-Basic, Ambassador Fernando Arias, on the Organisation’s Headquarters in The Hague.

“Australia is a steadfast supporter of the OPCW and the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Conference. Our new voluntary contribution to the OPCW Belief Fund for Syria Missions will assist the OPCW to finish its Syria-related mandated actions. The OPCW’s investigative work is an important step in the direction of accountability for the usage of chemical weapons. Australia stays dedicated to upholding the worldwide norm towards the usage of chemical weapons,” mentioned Ambassador French.

The Director-Basic acknowledged: “I specific my honest appreciation to Australia for its monetary and political assist to the OPCW’s mission to completely eradicate chemical weapons. This contribution will assist the OPCW to proceed its work on the Syrian chemical weapons file and to uphold the norms and rules of the Chemical Weapons Conference.”

Background

Australia has been an energetic member of the OPCW for the reason that Chemical Weapons Conference entered into power in 1997.

Thus far, Australia has made voluntary contributions totalling € 1,805,740 to 6 totally different OPCW belief funds, together with the Belief Fund for a Centre for Chemistry and Expertise and the Belief Fund for Syria Missions.

The Declaration Evaluation Workforce was established in 2014 to interact the related Syrian authorities to resolve the recognized gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies within the Syrian declaration. The Reality-Discovering Mission was arrange in the identical yr in response to persistent allegations of chemical weapon assaults in Syria, with the duty to determine info surrounding allegations of the usage of poisonous chemical compounds for hostile functions. The Investigation and Identification Workforce started its work in 2019 and is chargeable for figuring out the perpetrators of the usage of chemical weapons in Syria.

Because the implementing physique for the Chemical Weapons Conference, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the worldwide endeavour to completely eradicate chemical weapons. Because the Conference’s entry into power in 1997, it’s the most profitable disarmament treaty eliminating a complete class of weapons of mass destruction.

Over 99% of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been destroyed beneath OPCW verification. For its intensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW obtained the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.

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