Brazil holds course on emergency chemical response

The Government of the Republic of Brazil and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons held courses from August 26 to 30 that reviewed emergency chemical responses.

The Regional Assistance Course on Chemical Emergency Response for Lusophone Countries was held in Rio de Janeiro and had 14 participants from five States Parties, which included Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and São Tomé e Principe. These parties were trained during the courses while three observers from Angola, who were sponsored by the OPCW, watched the course.

During the course, participants learned about assistance and protection against chemical weapons under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The parties were also trained in the use of protective equipment and monitoring, detection and decontamination techniques. The course also reviewed chemical-emergency responses by giving participants field training exercises.

Throughout the course, the parties exchanged information and experience in the areas of emergency chemical response and the implementation of Article X of the Convention. Participants also had the chance to learn from attendees that were from national emergency-response agencies.

The OPCW is an intergovernmental organization that promotes the Chemical Weapons Convention. The CWC prohibits the use of chemical weapons and asks that countries destroy any stockpiles. The OPCW works in cooperation with the United Nations and is located in Hague, Netherlands.