Estonia’s ambassador to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Paul Teesalu, handed over his credentials to Fernando Arias, the organization’s Director General, in The Hague on September 27.
After the ceremony, Arias and Teesalu talked about the security situation in Europe and the continuing threat of the use of chemical weapons in armed conflicts, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. “Estonia’s position, as well as the OPCW’s, is that chemical weapons and their use cannot be tolerated,” Teesalu said. In recent years, the OPCW has built additional capabilities in supporting States Parties with sectoral expertise. The meeting also discussed new technologies, especially the dangers arising from artificial intelligence in the context of the prohibition of chemical weapons.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, with 193 member states, was established in 1997 and is headquartered in The Hague. The tasks and structure of the organization derive from the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, its goal is the complete prohibition and destruction of chemical weapons. The OPCW also acts as a consultation and cooperation forum for member states. The organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013.
Paul Teesalu is Estonia´s ambassador to the Netherlands since September this year. Before arriving in the Netherlands, Paul Teesalu was the Estonian ambassador to Italy, San Marino, Malta and the Order of Malta, based in Rome. He was Estonia’s ambassador to Egypt in 2010-2014, ambassador to the Arab League in 2011-2014, and Estonia’s first ambassador to the African Union in 2013-2015. In the years 2018-2020, he was also Estonian ambassador to the Holy See, residing in Tallinn. Previously, he has worked as deputy secretary general for political affairs and political director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in Estonian missions to NATO and OSCE. Teesalu resides in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Photo credentials: ©️OPCW
