September 2022 Newsletter
Discussion Series: RSVP to The Stimson Center’s Blockchain in Practice Demonstration
The CWC Coalition and the Henry L. Stimson Center’s Blockchain in Practice program are pleased to invite you to attend a demonstration of the MATCH (Monitoring and Tracking Chemicals) prototype – Stimson’s latest initiative to explore and test distributed ledger technology as an innovative approach to tracking dual-use chemicals. 

The virtual demonstration will be held on Wednesday, September 14th, from 9:00 – 10:30 am Eastern Daylight Time, and will be led by Cindy Vestergaard, Senior Fellow and Director, Blockchain in Practice Program and Nuclear Safeguards Program (Stimson Center).

Please RSVP below.  

A working prototype based on blockchain technology, MATCH is a novel technological approach aimed at reducing the occurrence of transfer discrepancies recorded in the international trade of Schedule 2 and 3 chemicals under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). 

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) receives annual declarations from CWC states parties on international transfers of scheduled chemicals, but the increasing occurrence of discrepancies in these declarations presents a growing challenge to the Organisation’s mission to prevent the re-emergence of chemical weapons. 

The MATCH prototype DLT platform will demonstrate how blockchain technology can assist national authorities and chemical industry in detecting and resolving discrepancies with greater speed and efficiency, minimizing the risk of loss and illicit diversion of potentially dangerous dual-use chemicals. 

The Blockchain in Practice program is excited to share the MATCH prototype with experts from the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition, and to receive your feedback on the project. We appreciate your interest in support, and look forward to meeting with you on the 14th! 

Click here to view the PDF version of the invite.  

Invite text written by Cindy Vestergaard, Senior Fellow and Director, Blockchain in Practice Program and Nuclear Safeguards Program.
RSVP to Discussion via Zoom
Nominations for The Hague Award are Open 

The deadline for applications and nominations for the OPCW – The Hague Award is October 1. Award eligibility criteria have been expanded to a wider and more inclusive range of nominees, including young professionals.  Read More

Tracking CW/BW Developments and Disinformation

The CWC Coalition is maintaining a timeline of chemical and biological weapons news developments related to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. If you see something missing from our timeline, please email Leanne at [email protected].   View Timeline
ON OUR CALENDAR
  • 6-8 September NCT USA: Connecting the American CBRNe & EOD Community – Register
  • 14 September Discussion Series Presentation: Stimson Center’s Blockchain in Practice Program MATCH (Monitoring and Tracking Chemicals) Prototype Demonstration – RSVP 
  • 19-23 September OPCW and Asser Institute Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of WMD Training Program – Register 
  • 4-7 OctoberEC-101: One Hundred and First Session of the Executive Council, OPCW –  Learn More 
  • 18 OctoberCWC Coalition Discussion Series: Chemical Terrorism (Led by Maria Espona, ArqIQ) – Learn more and RSVP 
  • 4 NovemberCWC Coalition Discussion Series: Chemical Security in Africa (Led by Hubert K. Foy, AFRICSIS) – More details and registration link will be shared closer to the date of the discussion
  • 28 November – 2 December27th Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CSP-27) – Learn More

NEWS ROUNDUP