National and international obligations

International

On ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Government of Kenya designated the Government Chemist as the National Authority representing Kenya in international fora of States Parties. In this role the department coordinates chemical safety and security obligations under the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), implements United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, supports broader CBRN non-proliferation regimes, and works for compliance across industries that handle scheduled and toxic chemicals. See the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The department is also the national focal point for the European Union CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence initiative. See CBRN risk mitigation.

National

The department takes part in national governance and the administration of justice through:

• Membership of regulatory boards such as the Pest Control Products Board;
• Kenya Bureau of Standards technical committees;
• Court Users Committees;
• Work with the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA);
• Contributions to national Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) guidelines, human identification and narcotics control.

Government Chemist analysts are gazetted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act to sample seized drugs.