1. The first regional conference of the African national authorities of CWC
States parties was organized in Khartoum, Sudan, from 27th to 29th August
2003 in coordination between the Government of the Sudan and the
Organization for the prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
2. The following thirty three States Parties/ organization participated in
the conference:
Algeria - Nigeria
Benin – Sao Tonie Principe
Bulkina Faso – Senegal
Burundi – S. Africa
Cameroon – Sudan
Chad – Togo
Cote d’lvoire – Tunisia
Ethiopia – Uganda
Gabon – Zambia
Gambia – Zimbabwe
Ghana – D.R. of Congo
Kenya – Libya
K. of Lesotho – France
Malawi – Romania
Mauritius – United States of America
Morocco – International Committee of the Red Cross
Namibia
The United States of America, the Government of Romania, France, and the
International Committee of the Red Cross participated in the Conference as
observers.
3. His Excellency the Foreign Minister of the Republic of the Sudan, Dr
Mustafa Osman Ismaiel delivered a welcoming statement at the Inaugural
session in which he welcomed the Director General of the OPCW, the Heads of
diplomatic missions accredited to Sudan, and the delegations participating
in the conference, he also reiterated the commitment of the Sudan to join
the efforts of the international community for combating all kinds of the
weapons of mass destruction including the chemical weapons, and to achieve
the universality of the convention.
4. His Excellency the Director General of the Organization Mr. Rogelio
Plirter in his statement in the inaugural session emphasized the necessity
of achieving the universality of the Convention. He also highlighted the
necessity of the establishment of a regional network to promote the object
and purpose of the Convention in Africa.
5. The Director General has expressed appreciation and gratitude for the
Sudanese Government for hosting the conference and for the generous
hospitality. He also commended the role that Sudan has played for the
advocacy of the objectives and purposes of the CWC.
6. The conference elected the following bureau, president sudan. Cameroon
Nigeria, Algeria, Kenya, Zambia as vice president and South Africa as
rapporteur.
7. During the three days National Authorities Conference, various OPCW staff
members made presentations on a variety of subjects. These included the
status and universality of the CWC, an overview of the CWC, the role of the
National Authorities in implementing the CWC, declaration requirements,
transfers of the scheduled chemicals, practical implementation of the CWC
under Article 6, national implementing legislation, privileges and
immunities agreement, assistance and protection, international co-operation.
8. the representatives of all the participating National Authorities as well
as the representatives of the two States not yet party to the convention
(Chad and Sao tome et Principe), as well as France, Romania and the United
States of America (which are Parties from other regions) gave an account of
the activities of their National Authorities. All the representatives
expressed their thanks and gratitude to the Republic of Sudan for its
hospitality and warm welcome.
9. A number of States Parties have requested more technical support from the
OPCW for advocacy and implementation activities and capacity building.
10. The delegation of the United States has expressed its readiness to
extend technical support for African National Authorities.
11. The conference reiterated the importance of the establishment of a
regional network in Africa to promote the purposes and object of the CWC.
12. The conference reiterated the previous Khartoum recommendation to make
Africa a chemical weapons free zone.
13. The conference called upon the African countries not party to the CWC to
accede to the Convention.
14. The conference called on other States Parties to assist the African
countries in the field of peaceful uses of chemistry.
15. The conference reiterated the importance of the provisions of the
Convention on providing assistance and protection against the usage or the
threat of usage of chemical weapons.
16. All the representatives agreed that the first conference of the African
National Authorities was very helpful and successful, and expressed their
thanks and gratitude to the OPCW for the support and assistance extended to
the African National Authorities.
17. All the representatives reiterated the need for a egal support from the
OPCW to develop enforceable regulations and code of practices governing
peaceful uses of chemistry.
Participations from African National Authorities agreed to meet on annual
bass and to consult among themselves to identity the date and venue of the
meeting of 2004. They also requested Sudan to present this summary to the
fifth annual National Authorities in The Hague between 17th and 19th October
2003.