libya a second request for international assistance
TRANSCRIPT
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Lynn HogginsSenior Chemical Demilitrasation Officer
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
LIBYA
A Second Request for
International Assistance
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
• Libya deposited its instrument of accession to the Chemical
Weapons Convention (CWC) with the United Nations on 6 January
2004
• The CWC entered into force on 5 February 2004
• Destruction began in 2004 with the destruction of 3563 Category 3
air bombs
• In Jan – Feb 2005, the Technical Secretariat verified the
destruction of 551 MT of Category 2, sodium sulfide and sodium
fluoride by cementation
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
All Category 3 Munitions were
destroyed in 2004
Destruction of sodium sulfide and
sodium fluoride by cementation
was completed in 2005
Neutralisation of PCl3 was
attempted in 2010 resulting in an
explosion
The Destruction of H began in 2010
using a neutralisation system
purchased from the Italian firm
SIPSA
Destruction continued
through February 2011
and resumed in 2013
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
In November 2011, Libya declared
a “previously undeclared chemical
weapons stockpile” consisting of
Category 1 and Category 3 chemical
weapons
The Secretariat dispatched an
inspection team to confirm the
declaration
With assistance from the US, the
munitions were destroyed in a Static
Detonation Chamber between
November 2013 and January 2014
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Libya destroyed 114 MT of
Isopropanol alcohol by
dilution in August 2015
A band of ISIS militants
attacked a road block near
the road leading to Waddan
The destruction of 19MT of
pinacolyl alcohol was moved
to the north near Tripoli
where it was completed in
January 2016 via an
afterburner chamber
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Off-site shipment required the decanting of the chemicals from old
tanks into new ISO approved tanks for shipment
Decanting operations were verified via video tapes
Samples were required to be taken from each tank
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Examples of Corrosion
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19 July 2017
Phosphorous Trichloride Tank Incident
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
3 February 2016 Letter from Libya “it is not realistic to expect that the
destruction of these chemical weapons will be completed within the
set time frame without an effective international assistance”
12 February 2016 Letter to the Director-General requesting the
consideration of transporting the remaining Category 2 chemical
weapons to a waste disposal facility outside Libya in order to destroy
them as early as possible
24 February 2016 Meeting of the Executive Council to explore options
8 March 2016 Meeting of Technical Experts
In Country Disposal
One half in country, one half removed
Removal of all chemicals
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
20 July 2016 Fifty Second Executive Council Meeting authorised
removal and called for a destruction plan to be developed and
presented to the Council in seven days
22 July 2016 United Nations Security Council Resolution 2298
endorsed the decision taken by the OPCW Executive Council and
authorised the acquisition of Libyan chemicals by member states for
the purpose of destruction
25 July 2016 First Operational Planning Group Meeting in Tunisia.
Attendees from Denmark, Libya, United States and the Technical
Secretariat
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
27 July 2016 Fifty Second Executive Council Meeting
Authorised the transport of Libya’s chemical weapons no later than
8 September 2016
Authorised destruction to be completed within 15 months of arrival
in Germany
10 August 2016 Second Meeting of the Joint Operations Planning
Group
19 August 2016 Director-General presented the plan for destruction
of Libya’s Category 2 chemical weapons outside the territory of Libya
(EC-M-53/DG.1)
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
26 August 2016 Fifty Third Meeting of the Executive Council
approved the arrangement between the OPCW and the Federal
Republic of Germany for the destruction of the chemicals (EC-M-
53/Dec.2)
27 August 2016 Chemical loaded and depart Misrata, Libya
6 September 2016 Arrival in Bremerhaven, Germany
30 September 2016 GEKA began the destruction of 2 chloroethanol
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Sample Transfer
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Mission Complete
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Loading in Misrata
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Arrival in Germany
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Arrival at GEKA
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Sample Collection
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Destruction To Date
Chemical Quantity Status Destruction Dates
2 Chloroethanol 18 MT Completed 31 Oct – 17 Dec 2016
Tributylamine 238 MT Completed 26 Sep 2016 – 20 Jan
2017
Phosphorous Trichloride 138 MT On-Hold 13 Feb – 2 Mar 2017
Thionyl Chloride 100 MT On-Going 24 Mar 2017
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Libya: A Second Request for International Assistance
Denmark
Finland
Canada
Cyprus
France
Germany
Italy
Libya
MaltaNetherlands
New Zealand
Spain
United Kingdom
Belgium
United States