The National Authority of the Republic of Uzbekistan has taken part in the Seventh Online Annual Meeting of Chemical Industry and National Authority Representatives of the parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

On November 17, the National Authority of the Republic of Uzbekistan, represented by the Head of Inspectorate on Supervision of the Implementation of the Convention on Prohibition of Chemical and Bacteriological Weapons of the State Committee of Industrial Safety of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Otabek Kasimov, took part in the Seventh Online Annual Meeting of Chemical Industry and National Authority Representatives of the parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

According to the Press Service of State Committee of Industrial Safety of the Republic of Uzbekistan, updates regarding Article VI of the Chemical Weapons Convention were heard at the meeting. In accordance with this article, each State Party has the right, subject to the provisions of this Convention, to develop, produce, otherwise acquire, retain, transfer and use toxic chemicals and their precursors for purposes not prohibited under this Convention. Each State Party shall adopt the necessary measures to ensure that toxic chemicals and their precursors are only developed, produced, otherwise acquired, retained, transferred, or used within its territory or in any other place under its jurisdiction or control for purposes not prohibited under this Convention.

Main attention was paid to the chemical industry’s response to the pandemic threats. The chemical industry is particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus crisis due to the fact that the majority of employees in the sector are employed directly in production, and work is often difficult or impossible to be implemented remotely. In addition, taking into account the specifics of the industry, it is not always possible to ensure social distancing at workplaces in manufacturing enterprises, warehouses, logistics, etc.

Participants of the event got acquainted with the Electronic Declaration Information System (EDIS), which is a software application designed for national authorities for creation and submission of declarations required under Article III and Article VI of the Convention.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is an international organization established with the UN support on April 29, 1997, after the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which was opened for signature in January 1993. In 2013, the OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

193 States committed to the Chemical Weapons Convention. 98% of the global population live under the protection of the Convention. 98% of the chemical weapons stockpiles declared by possessor States have been verifiably destroyed.

Uzbekistan ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention on April 29, 1997.

UzA