OPCW’s 15th regional meeting of national authorities kicks off in Dubai.

​Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee for Goods and Materials Subject to Import and Export Control, on Tuesday launched the 15th Regional Meeting of National Authorities of States Parties in Asia, in Dubai The meeting has been organised by the Executive Office of the Committee for Goods and Materials Subject to Import and Export Control, in partnership with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, OPCW, and will run until 18th May with 35 participants from 30 countries.

This regional meeting of National Authorities will serve as a forum in which the States Parties in the region can present their needs for assistance in relation to Article VII and indicate what assistance they can offer to other States Parties in this regard. In addition, it will help the Secretariat to determine how it can enhance the assistance it offers to States Parties in the region.

The launch was attended by Talal Mohammed Al Tenaiji, Director of the Executive Office for the Committee for Goods and Materials Subject to Import and Export Control, Hamza Khelif, Director of International Cooperation and Assistance in OPCW, and a number of governmental officials. The participating country’s delegations, representatives of the executive office, concerned government authorities, the delegation accompanying Khelif, and representatives of the Asian countries in the organisation, were also present on the occasion.

Tenaiji expressed his appreciation to the OPCW for its continuous efforts and its effective role in the international scene in banning chemical weapons. Khelif also thanked the OPCW, and the UAE government for hosting this meeting. He said it reflects the continuous support for the organisation’s charter, and the belief of these countries in the importance of cooperation on the regional level to guarantee its effective application.

The UAE issued Federal Law No. 13 of the year 2007 regarding goods and materials subject to import and export control. It discusses all the goods that are controlled, particularly materials related to weapons of mass destruction. The committee was also established according to this law, of which the executive office plays an important role in implementing international decisions in coordination with specialised authorities.

This is done by following a mechanism of issuing permits for the entry and exit of shipments subject to control through the custom ports of the country. The aim is to prevent the abuse of trading facilitations offered by the country, the exceptional geographic location, the size of shipments passing through the country, and commercial exchange with different countries in the world.