Participants during the workshop.
Doha, Qatar: The General Authority of Customs (GAC), represented by Anti-Smuggling and Customs Security Department, organised an awareness workshop on the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) and National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons (NCPW), the workshop featured the participation of a host of officers operating in GAC’s customs ports. The event aimed to bolster customs officers’ expertise on the role of government entities in implementing the CWC, as well as the ongoing efforts to apply the approved mechanisms in importing chemicals and rules of handling them.
The participants comprehended the methods of handling these chemicals through procedures of importing and completion of officially recognised identification papers related to these shipments. The workshop introduced the participants to the dual-use materials, mainly the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials (CBRN) which have legitimate and peaceful uses, but they are also used in either making Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) or military weapons.
The workshop featured a lecture on the CWC which showcased the vital items in detail that must be recognised to streamline their daily application and handle these chemicals.
The event also featured a range of workshops on the role of Hazardous Chemicals & Waste Department at MoECC in implementing the CWC, distinguishing the chemicals incorporated in the CWC, handling hazardous materials and methods of identification, systems of transferring the chemicals included in the CWC’s schedule, customs data, reporting and notification in case of any suspicion of restricted chemicals that are unauthorised to be supplied by companies, as well as customs investigations and their role in detecting the trafficking of prohibited customs materials and other themes pertinent to the aforementioned workshop.
