The regional Asian workshop on "Chemical Safety and Security" and the accompanying exhibition kicked off today in Abu Dhabi. Running until April 30, the workshop brings together experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and Asian countries along with a host of senior officials, executives and representatives of public and private entities in UAE.

Organised by the Executive Office of the Committee for Goods and Materials Subjected to Import and Export Control, the workshop is aimed at establishing and promoting partnerships and learning about the latest developments in the area of chemical safety and security. Participants will also share experiences and exchange expertise and best practices adopted worldwide in this regard.

The workshop included a number of sessions that examined the latest developments and best practices in the chemical safety and security field, as well as prospects of cooperation between government and private bodies involved in the industry. The discussions further focused on the various aspects of chemical safety and security from the private sector perspective.

The workshop also included a practical exercise simulating the use of chemicals for non-peaceful purposes in a manner that may threaten the safety and security of the community, highlighting the most efficient way to handle such threats.

On another level, HE Dr Obeid Al Hiri Salim Al Ketbi, Deputy Foreign Minister for Military and Security Affairs, opened the exhibition on the sidelines of the Asian Regional workshop in presence of HE Talal Al Tenaiji, Director of the Executive Office of the Committee for Goods and Materials Subjected to Import and Export Control, delegations to and participants in the workshop.

The exhibition features 12 platforms that showcase the efforts and equipment used by certain governmental entities in handling chemical incidents, as well as activities and specialisations available at a number of universities in the UAE.

Several national entities participated in the exhibition, including the Ministry of Interior, the General Command of Armed Forces, the Federal Customs Authority, the National Emergency, the Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, the Abu Dhabi Health Department, the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, ADNOC, Rabdan Academy, Tadweer and Hotzone Solutions Middle East.

The exhibition, held in participation with a group of government and semi-government entities and private sector, focuses on demonstrating the efforts exerted by the UAE in raising awareness about and protection from the risks imposed by chemical weapons.

Held at Dusit Thani Hotel in Abu Dhabi, the exhibition targets a wide category of civil and military bodies, especially students from universities, schools and military colleges, public entities and private sector companies.

Among the equipment displayed in the exhibition was an electronic system for monitoring health resources in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and emergency management, showcased by the Abu Dhabi Department of Health. The system is a mobile server for emergency response intended for monitoring such health resources in Abu Dhabi as beds, healthcare facilities, specialities, morgues, blood bank and strategic medical inventory.

First-of-its-kind in the Middle East region, the said system is linked electronically with all the healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi, on one hand, and with several entities and systems, on the other.

Speaking on the occasion, HE Talal Al Tenaiji expressed his appreciation to the OPCW's unwavering efforts and the effective role it plays in countering and prohibiting chemical weapons on the international arena.

"The UAE joined the organisation in December 2000 and formed a national committee to ensure the implementation of its decisions. Since then, the UAE has seen the effectiveness of OPCW's role through organising several meetings, conferences, training programmes, workshops and various communication channels to help the member national committees achieve their intended mission. Eventually, such efforts contribute to achieving the ultimate goal of a 'world free of weapons of mass destruction'," Al Tenaiji concluded.

For their part, participants emphasised the need for bolstering international cooperation in preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by developing channels for coordination and exchange of intelligence. This can also be achieved by joining efforts to leverage control and inspection on strategic materials through harnessing the best resources in international training for competent departments, control and customs units.

They called for ensuring the availability of efficient infrastructure equipped with the latest tools and technology, complemented by strict measures for exports control, in addition to enacting supporting regulations and laws.

The Executive Office of the Committee for Goods and Materials Subjected to Export and Import Control commenced its duties in August 2009 and operates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dubai offices.

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

This is done by following a mechanism of entry and exit permit issuance for  shipments subjected to control through UAE customs points. The aim is to prevent the abuse of trading facilitations offered by the country, its exceptional geographic location, the size of shipments passing through the country, and commercial exchange with other countries in the world.