On November 24, the Ambassador of El Salvador to the Netherlands, Agustín Vásquez Gómez, assumed the Presidency of the 30th Conference of States Parties to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which will last until November 28, 2026. Ambassador Vásquez was nominated by the group of Latin American and Caribbean countries to assume this important responsibility.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is responsible for preventing the use of chemical weapons and destroying existing chemical weapons worldwide. However, an important task carried out by the organization is the promotion of the peaceful use of chemistry through different chemical industries and national authorities responsible for chemical management, in the case of El Salvador, the Ministry of National Defense.

In his role as Chair, Ambassador Vásquez will be responsible for guiding the 193 States Parties of the Organization to promote dialogue and make decisions that will be essential for the sound management of the organization in the future and ensure that the world is free from the use of chemical weapons.

In the words of Ambassador Vásquez, “this organization has achieved extraordinary accomplishments. However, we must recognize that the work is not done. Our commitment requires strategic vision, unity of purpose, openness to dialogue, and a deeply human approach, which is to protect the world from the horrors that misused chemistry can cause.”

Among other decisions, this 30th conference will appoint the new Director General of the Organization, Ambassador Sabrina Dallafior Matter of Switzerland, who will continue the important work carried out by the current Director General Fernando Arias, and with whom Ambassador Vásquez will work over the next year to prepare for the next conference.

The Hague, 24 November, 2025.