2nd Regional Course on Chemical Safety and Security Management in Laboratories

The “2^nd Regional Course on Chemical Safety and Security Management in Laboratories” will be held in Buenos Aires, on 24-28 April. It is the second edition of an initiative developed by Argentina with the financial support of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The course will be taught by professionals from the National Institute of Industrial Technology of Argentina (INTI) and held in its premises. The closing event will be held at the Palacio San Martín in the afternoon of 28 April.

This initiative is part of a series of activities that the National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention will organize during this year to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its undisputed contribution to global disarmament.

Ours is a region of peace and cooperation, free of the scourge of weapons of mass destruction. In his recent visit to the OPCW headquarters in the Netherlands last 28 March, the President of the Argentine Republic, Mauricio Macri, reaffirmed Argentina’s commitment to the non-proliferation and total elimination of these weapons.

However, there are other dangers in the region which must not be underestimated and, consequently, we must take action to avoid accidents in industrial plants or laboratories which could affect urban centres, in addition to restricting access to toxic substances in order to prevent their misuse.

The aim of the course is to share the expertise and training of Argentine experts in the implementation of safety measures in chemical, biochemical, microbiological and related laboratories with experts from Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to increase the level of chemical safety in the region in the face of challenges pertaining to dangerous substance management.

This course embodies Argentina’s univocal policy of non-proliferation and commitment to its obligations under the Convention, as well as OPCW’s support for the cooperation activities traditionally carried out by our country.

            Press release No. 142/17

Press Office: 4819-7375 / 8296 / 7388

www.cancilleria.gob.ar

@CancilleriaARG