OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias visits Finland

Director-General Fernando Arias of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is visiting Finland from 15 to 16 November at the invitation of Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen.

On Wednesday 15 November, Director-General Arias will visit the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where he will hold discussions with Minister for Foreign Affairs Valtonen. They will talk about the cooperation between Finland and the OPCW and discuss topical issues related to the Chemical Weapons Convention. During his visit, Arias will also participate in an international seminar to mark the 50th anniversary of the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). 

The Chemical Weapons Convention was opened for signature in 1993 and entered into force in 1997. The Convention is almost universal with 193 states committed to it. Headquartered in The Hague, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention. In 2013, the OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons. Today, all the world’s declared chemical weapons stockpiles have been destroyed under the watchful eye of the OPCW.

Finland ratified the CWC in 1995. Finland is member of the OPCW Executive Board from May 2022 to May 2024.