Costa Rica participates in the Fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CAW), which took place in The Hague, Netherlands, from 15 May to 19 May.
This special session, which is held every five years and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, aims to examine the operation of this instrument, evaluate the status of its application and establish priorities, such as Strategic orientation of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the coming years.
The Costa Rican delegation, headed by Ambassador Arnoldo Brenes, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the OPCW, reiterated the country’s full commitment to chemical disarmament and to the objectives and principles of the Convention. Similarly, it reaffirmed its determination to completely eliminate the possibility of the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances, as well as to continue cooperation with the Technical Secretariat and other States Parties towards this objective. Resolution confirmed.
In line with this commitment, Costa Rica called on the Syrian Arab Republic to abide by its international obligations derived from the Convention, the decisions of the Executive Council and the Conference of States Parties (CSP) of the OPCW, and the United Nations Security Council.
Costa Rica also condemned Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine. “It seems appropriate to recall that the Chemical Weapons Convention includes in its preamble a commitment to the realization of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. For this reason, we at this forum condemn the Russian Federation’s continued aggression against Ukraine. Costa Rica joins the international community in a clear message calling for the achievement of a normal, just and lasting peace that contributes to the strengthening of international peace and security,” said Ambassador Brenes.
In keeping with the traditional values of Costa Rican foreign policy, the national delegation also strongly supported the initiative to strengthen the participation of non-governmental organizations in the OPCW CEP; Incorporate a transversal gender perspective into all of your activities and contribute to the preparation of more women for professional careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
He advocated ensuring that staff in the Technical Secretariat came from a broad geographic representation, which required the creation of a working group to prepare an action plan that would meet this objective.
Costa Rica also joined the support of the OPCW to address the problem of chemical weapons dumped at sea, so that the organization could serve as a forum for voluntary cooperation on the issue.
The focus of this Review Conference is on the role of the Convention and the OPCW as a fundamental pillar of international peace and security, the prevention of the reappearance of chemical weapons, the preparation of a response in case of the use or threat of use of chemical weapons, the implementation of the Convention. relevant scientific and technological developments in the implementation, promotion of peaceful applications of chemistry and promotion of its universalisation.
On these issues, Costa Rica supported the idea of undertaking a comprehensive review of the current verification regime of the chemical industry, with a view to making it more efficient, guaranteeing that the technologies used are kept up to date, as well as New challenges are taken into account and scientific and technological developments.
On the subject of cooperation, Costa Rica also supported the recommendation that the OPCW Technical Secretariat permanently update and adapt training programs to meet specific needs that support national implementation measures, as well as assistance and protection Promote economic and technological development while also strengthening, and as part of the benefits derived from, the Convention, the capacity of States in the peaceful uses of chemistry. @mundiario
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