Statement of Canada to the 28th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention

Check against delivery.

Novembre 27, 2023

Delivered by H.E. Mr. Hugh Adsett, Ambassador of Canada to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

Distinguished Chair, Director-General, Deputy Director-General, Excellencies, Colleagues,

Canada welcomes the election of Mr Suljuk Mustansar Tarar, Ambassador of Pakistan, as Chair of the 28th Conference of the States Parties. The Chair can remain assured of Canada’s full support and cooperation. We also thank outgoing Chair, Ambassador Vusimuzi Madonsela of South Africa, for so ably managing the Conference this past year.

Distinguished Chair,

This is the first session of the Conference of States Parties since we failed to reach a meaningful consensus at the Fifth Review Conference. The overwhelming majority of States Parties sought to forge a path forward for the OPCW, addressing its weaknesses and further building upon its strengths. Unfortunately, consensus on improving the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention was not the goal of all States Parties, and some of these opponents who blocked consensus on progress on chemical weapons disarmament and non-proliferation continue their work to erode the global norm against chemical weapons use.

There are numerous credible reports that the Russian Federation has used riot control agents as a weapon of war, in clear violation of Article I of the Convention, in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Canada along with other members of the G7 have sought further information from the Russian Federation and so far have not received a satisfactory response.

It has been ten years since the Syrian Arab Republic acceded to the Convention, and it has yet to face any serious consequences for having used chemical weapons in at least nine instances since its accession. It is no surprise that one of the crucial factors that blocked consensus at the Review Conference was a handful of countries attempting to protect Syria from further investigation and acknowledgement of past findings.

As countries like Russia and Syria do their best to impede progress on achieving a world permanently free of chemical weapons, the work of the OPCW becomes even more important. As a result, we must press on. Canada has been an active participant in the work since the 103rd session of the Executive Council on geographic distribution, and we have continued to support efforts to mainstream gender considerations across the work of the OPCW. We are also pleased that progress has been made in the facilitation on tenure policy, and look forward to adopting a decision at this Conference to help address this challenge.

Distinguished Chair,

Canada is pleased to support the draft programme and budget of the Organisation for the 2024 to 2025 biennial period. Delegations worked diligently with the Technical Secretariat on a budget that met our needs while minimizing the increase in assessed contributions to only what was absolutely required. We urge all States Parties to join us in supporting the draft budget decision.

The OPCW’s ongoing financial challenges are not limited to the effects of inflation. Some are caused by the late, incomplete, or non-payment of assessed contributions. This harms all programs of the OPCW, including verification to prevent the re-emergence of chemical weapons and our work on cooperation and assistance. We urge all States Parties to pay their assessed contributions in full and on time.

Distinguished Chair,

Earlier this year, the United States completed the destruction of its chemical arsenal. The worldwide stock of declared chemical weapons has now been completely destroyed. This is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when there is political will.

The OPCW is now moving into a new post-destruction phase, where it must refocus its attention on preventing chemical weapons from re-emerging, but it cannot forget its roots. The OPCW must have at its disposal the capability to destroy chemical weapons in the future. Four States remain outside the Chemical Weapons Convention, at least one of which very likely has a chemical weapons stockpile that will need to be destroyed in a verifiable manner. At least two States Parties, the Russian Federation and the Syrian Arab Republic, are likely in possession of undeclared chemical weapons, implied by the use of sarin and chlorine in various attacks in Syria and by the use of Novichoks in the attempted assassinations of Sergei Skripal and Alexei Navalny. Measures to retain knowledge in this regard are therefore essential.

Finally, Distinguished Chair,

I wish to reiterate Canada’s longstanding support for the work of the OPCW. Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program, our contribution to the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, has provided over Can$45 million in voluntary contributions to the OPCW to date. This includes Can$10 million toward the construction of the newly opened Centre for Chemistry and Technology. Canada has also been taking an active role in enhancing States Parties’ capacities to respond to chemical emergencies. This includes support for the very successful “CHEMEX Africa” training, hosted by Algeria earlier this year, aimed at enhancing protection and response capabilities of African States Parties to respond to major chemical weapons incidents. Additionally, Canada will be providing new contributions to the OPCW for the 3 Ukraine Assistance Programme and additional support for the Trust Fund for Syria Missions. The OPCW can continue to count on Canada for such support, in order to further bolster the implementation of the Convention and help guide us toward the future free of chemical weapons.

Thank you.