Topic: Re-Evaluating the Chemical Weapons Convention
Country: Yemen
Delegate Name: Alex Vankuiken
School: Grand Rapids City High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Yemen position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
Yemen is strongly against the production, stockpiling, and use of both biological and chemical weapons in all forms. Yemen has never used or stockpiled chemical or biological weapons before, and is a signatory of both the chemical and biological weapons conventions. Yemen’s civilians have been the victims of chemical weapons and biological weapons many times before, convincing Yemen that we must reassess the chemical and biological weapons conventions. The stockpiling of chemicals which, although can be used for non-lethal and other commercial purposes, is still problematic due to how easily they can end up being used as weapons, and biological weapons are not required to have their destruction verified under the Biological Weapons Convention. Developments in chemistry which create dangerous chemical weaponry need to be recognized early so they are not used as weaponry, and the sales of this weaponry cannot reach terrorist organizations that may use them on innocent people. Yemen does support the merging of the chemical and biological weapons convention, but believes there must be other provisions taken as well. Yemen feels that the trade of dangerous chemicals should be strictly regulated by governments so they do not end up in the hands of terrorist organizations that may use them against innocent people. The stockpiling of chemicals for non-lethal purposes which could be used in harmful ways should be strictly regulated or ended altogether, though Yemen is willing to consider alternatives, such as bodies independent from a state’s military being the ones who control these chemicals. Penalties need to be strictly enforced on any nation that continues to stockpile or use chemical weapons on innocents no matter what the reasoning may be. Even non-lethal chemical weapons should not be stockpiled considering how harmful they can be. The world cannot allow the continued use of such technology that has proven to inflict so much harm and suffering upon the human race, and the United Nations should do anything it can to stop it.
