By Patrick Norén
Russia has failed in its bid to be elected to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the second year in a row.
In a secret ballot of 140 countries at the 29th Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, or CSP-29 for short, the Czech Republic and North Macedonia received 128 and 86 votes respectively.
Russia, on the other hand, received 56 votes, down nine votes from a similar vote in 2023. Given that the ballot at CSP-29 was secret, it is not known which nine countries decided to vote for a country other than Russia.
Yesterday’s vote marked the second year in a row where Russia failed to be elected to the OPCW Executive Council, having failed for the first time ever last year. In 2023, on that occasion, Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania were elected with 126, 123, and 76 votes respectively.
In a statement released following the secret ballot on Tuesday, November 27, 2024, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the outcome of the vote was “yet another proof of an ongoing international isolation of the aggressor state”.
They added that “as long as Russia continues its aggressive war against Ukraine, including the use of dangerous chemicals on the battlefield, it lacks the moral authority to be part of governing bodies in international organizations.”
One week before CSP-29, for the first time the OPCW confirmed the use of riot control agents against Ukrainian positions during Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine. While the announcement did not explicitly blame Russia for using riot control agents, it appeared to corroborate consistent reports and accusations from the Ukrainian side.
Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare Marked in The Hague
On the morning of Wednesday, November 27, CSP-29 marked the Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare with a moment’s silence. It is customary that the day is marked during the Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, while the actual day itself falls on November 30 each year.
The conference is being chaired by the Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Almir Šahović, who assumed his duties from the outgoing Chairperson, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Suljuk Mustansar Tarar.
OPCW The Hague Award
CSP-29 also saw two organizations be awarded the OPCW The Hague Award that recognizes individuals and organizations that play a significant role in advancing the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The two winners were Algeria’s National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology of the National Gendarmerie (NICC/NG) for playing a vital role in promoting regional capacity-building efforts, and the Indian Chemical Council for its role in promoting chemical safety, compliance with the Convention, and enhancing industry-wide security practices in India.
CSP-29 concludes on Friday, November 29, 2024.
Patrick Norén is the Editor of CBNW Magazine.
