Statement of Canada to the 99th session of the OPCW Executive Council

March 8, 2022

Delivered in writing by H.E. Lisa Helfand, Ambassador of Canada to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

Distinguished Chair, Excellencies and colleagues,

Canada congratulates Her Excellency Ambassador Eniola Olaitan Ajayi on her new role as Chair of the Executive Council.  I assure her of Canada’s full support and cooperation in leading the work of this body this week and beyond.

The Council meets when international peace and security stands on a precipice. Canada strongly condemns President Putin’s unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine. We stand with the Ukrainian government and its people as they bravely defend themselves. We are alarmed by recent public statements by Russian officials that seem to imply their intent to carry out a chemical weapons attack, potentially as a false flag in an attempt to justify further aggression. The use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and a blatant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The world is watching and will not stand for it.

This context makes all the more urgent our continued commitment to the work before us in the OPCW. The priorities Canada will address here are: preparation for the Fifth Review Conference; recent reports of the Syria Fact-Finding Mission; maintaining efforts to address violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention; gender equality; support for the Centre for Chemistry and Technology and, the security of the OPCW.

This Executive Council session begins our preparatory year for the Fifth Review Conference in May 2023. Many lessons were learned in the difficult process around the Fourth Review Conference. Now, we must begin to work with a renewed spirit of cooperation and common purpose for a constructive preparatory process to build momentum into the next phase of implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Canada commits itself to work in this spirit with all States Parties in paving the road to a successful Review Conference.

In the meantime, however, violations of the core principles of the Convention must remain a priority for the States Parties, to demonstrate our commitment to the Convention and the relevance of the OPCW as the body capable of addressing these issues.

In January, the Technical Secretariat released 2 reports of the Syria Fact-Finding Mission (FFM). The first concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that a vesicant chemical substance from Schedule 1A04, a form of sulfur mustard, was used as a weapon in Marea on 1 September 2016, though there was insufficient data to establish whether the same thing happened two days later in the same area. The second report concluded that a there were reasonable grounds to believe that a chlorine barrel was used as a weapon in Kafr Zeita on 1 October 2016.

Canada condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of chemicals weapons in Syria by any party. We appreciate the FFM’s continued independent, impartial, and professional work. It bears noting that the FFM is reporting not only on cases where chemical weapons were found to have been used, but also cases where that conclusion could not be reached where there was insufficient evidence. We look forward to future reporting by the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) on cases where chemical weapons use has been established as likely by the FFM.

We note with ongoing concern that 20 issues of substance remain to be resolved in the Syrian Declaration. Canada urges the Syrian regime to cooperate fully with the Declaration Assessment Team, including, by urgently issuing a visa of the final member of the DAT in order for the team to continue its important work. Moreover, we urge Syria to complete all of the necessary measures to regain its rights and privileges under the Convention, including by submitting a complete and accurate declaration, the most basic obligation under the Convention.

Major questions remain around another violation of the Convention, the Novichok attack on Alexey Navalny, in Russia in August 2020. The Russian Federation has yet to carry out the required investigation for the use of a chemical weapon on its territory. It refused to cooperate with the Technical Secretariat (TS) on standard protocols for the deployment of a Technical Assistance Visit, and with its fellow States Parties in answering questions raised concerning this incident. We urge the Russian Federation to take action and ensure accountability for the use of a chemical weapon on its territory.  

On a more positive note, we are pleased to recognize the TS’s recent efforts to further advancing gender equality and diversity within the OPCW. We recognize that this is a challenge that requires a prolonged and sustained effort toward institutional change, for any organization. This is why we will continue to work within this community to support such efforts not only in the OPCW, but also within our delegation and in how we engage as a State Party in our work here. As an International Gender Champion, I am personally committed to this, and look forward to working with the Director General, who is also an International Gender Champion, and with all other delegations to advance this vital work.

We also understand that strengthening gender equality within the organization is a cultural shift and that this change does not happen over night. We hope that with continued work by the TS and with support from all States Parties that gender equality can be integrated not only in the governance of the Organisation, but also into its activities, including the work conducted by the new Centre for Chemistry and Technology.

Canada remains deeply committed not only to supporting the OPCW with our words, but to making sure it has the resources to do its job effectively. In the past decade we have provided more than €31 million in voluntary contributions to support the OPCW’s critical work, including €7 million for the construction of the new Centre for Chemistry and Technology. Together with other members of the G7-led Global Partnership, we are currently exploring the potential for additional support to strengthen the OPCW and uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

We are happy to note that the construction of the Centre for Chemistry and Technology is on target, taking physical form, and is set to be completed next year. We are pleased to note the financial contributions by 52 states and the European Union, along with civil society organizations, investing in a Centre that will serve the broader community working to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Finally, as we all know, on December 3rd last year, protesters breached the perimeter of the OPCW Headquarters, entering the building by force and finding their way further in than should ever have been possible. This was a terrifying experience for the staff working in the Technical Secretariat, and something they never imagined could happen here. It is mere chance that this did not happen during a time when delegations were also in the building for a meeting. This incident is a stark reminder that the physical security of the OPCW Headquarters effects of all those who come through this building. It is the responsibility of all States Parties. Canada has provided over Can$2.5 million to support critical upgrades for the OPCW over the past 5 years.  It is our sincere hope that our shared responsibility for this will be considered when the 2022‑2023 budget update discussions begin.

I ask that the full version of this statement be made an official-series document of the 99th session of the Executive Council and published on Catalyst and public website of the OPCW.

Thank you.