11. Chemical weapons and security threats

Chemical weapons are prohibited by the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered into force in 1997 and had 193 states parties as of December 2025. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) oversees 
the implementation of the CWC, verifies chemical weapon disarmament and helps prevent the re-emergence of chemical weapons. The OPCW successfully completed the disarmament of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles worldwide 
in 2023 and its focus has shifted to the prevention of the re-emergence of chemical weapons.

Allegations of and reactions to chemical weapon use

While the CWC is one of the most successful disarmament treaties, it has faced significant challenges and compliance concerns, mainly concerning Syria and Russia. Syria acceded to the CWC in 2013 and subsequently declared a chemical weapon programme that was thought to have been eliminated under OPCW verification by 2016. However, OPCW investigations later proved that Syria had been in non-compliance and had used chemical weapons on several occasions since 2014. Over the past decade, OPCW member states have sought to bring Syria into compliance without success. However, the situation in Syria shifted significantly in 2025 after the new government pledged to cooperate fully with the OPCW to dismantle the remainder of the Syrian chemical weapon programme. Allegations of chemical weapon use in Sudan and Ukraine continue to give rise to concerns.

Chemical weapon control and disarmament

The OPCW has been affected by the conflict in Ukraine in several ways, including persistent polarization in the policymaking organs and being subject to continuing disinformation campaigns. However, the improving situation in Syria contributed to less confrontational exchanges in 2025 and consensus decisions on previously more contested issues, such as the OPCW’s budget. The OPCW also continued its routine activities, including in the areas of verification, international cooperation and assistance, and monitoring technological developments relevant to the CWC, notably in the field of artificial intelligence. The OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology, which opened in 2023, has played an important role in supporting the OPCW’s work with its technical capabilities and laboratory capacity.

In November 2025 the OPCW member states appointed Ambassador Sabrina Dallafior of Switzerland as the next director-general of the OPCW. She will take office in July 2026.