DYB2011-Part-II-web

Related issues, including information and outreach
fact that terrorists may seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction”. The
Assembly acknowledged “the urgent need for addressing, within the United
Nations framework and through international cooperation, this threat to
humanity” and it also encouraged “cooperation between and among Member
States and relevant regional and international organizations for strengthening
national capacities in this regard”.
Contribution to global anti-terrorism (OPCW)
The Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) continued to support anti-terrorism efforts within
the framework of its mandate, including through institutional cooperation with
the United Nations and by promoting the Chemical Weapons Convention. 51
The Technical Secretariat also encouraged States parties to exchange
experiences and discuss issues relevant to anti-terrorism efforts in this context.
The Open-Ended Working Group on Terrorism of the OPCW Executive
Council continued to serve as a forum for sharing information and best
practices among member States, as well as for promoting the Organisation’s
contribution to the global efforts against terrorism. The Working Group is
supported by the Technical Secretariat of OPCW.
Chemical safety and security
From 11 to 12 April, OPCW organized a seminar on the subject of
“OPCW’s Contribution in the Sphere of Security and Non-proliferation”,
which was held in The Hague. The seminar provided an opportunity for an
exchange of information on best practices on safety and security at chemical
plants and in transportation, including their relationship to an effective
anti-terrorism framework.
From 12 to 13 September, the OPCW Conference on International
Cooperation and Chemical Safety and Security served as the Organisation’s
contribution to mark 2011 as the International Year of Chemistry. The
Conference underscored the critical importance of the use of chemistry for
exclusively peaceful purposes and further strengthened support for the
Chemical Weapons Convention. Over 400 participants from 29 countries
participated in the Conference, which provided further evidence of the strong
commitment of the OPCW States parties to the goals of the Convention.
51 The full title of the treaty is the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction. The text
and adherence status are available from http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/ (accessed 7
May 2012).
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