While the multilateral disarmament framework has been fracturing for several months, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) stands out for its remarkable institutional stability. Founded in 1997, it has overseen the verified destruction of over 72,000 tonnes of declared chemical weapons. Yet the OPCW now faces mounting pressure: the use of chemical weapons in Syria and Russia, next-generation agents like Novichok, and the broader retreat of major powers from disarmament treaties. This article examines the OPCW’s missions, the challenges it faces, and the factors underpinning its resilience.
1. OPCW missions and the implementation of the Convention
The OPCW was established on April 29, 1997, coinciding with the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which aims to permanently eliminate chemical weapons worldwide.
Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, the OPCW is responsible for ensuring that Member States comply with the Convention’s provisions. It monitors specific chemical industry activities and promotes the free exchange of information and knowledge for peaceful chemical applications.
Upon joining the Convention, all signatory states (currently 193) must submit initial declarations regarding any military chemical programs. So-called “possessor States” must disclose stockpiles, research facilities, and production or destruction sites, committing to destroy them at their own expense under the supervision of OPCW inspectors. To date, all declared stockpiles — totalling 72,304 tons of chemical weapons — have been destroyed under OPCW oversight. Furthermore, all Member States must declare industrial chemical activities that fall within the Convention’s scope. The OPCW’s mission extends beyond traditional diplomacy: it conducts rigorous on-site inspections to verify these declarations.
2. Diplomatic hurdles and emerging technological challenges
The OPCW actively promotes the benefits of the Convention to non-member States, highlighting its vital role in regional and international peace and security. Today, 98% of the world’s population lives under the protection of the Convention, yet four countries have still not signed or ratified it.
The Organisation must also adapt its surveillance to track next-generation chemical weapons, such as Novichok, while withstanding attempts at institutional destabilization.
2.1. Disputes over Syria and next-generation chemical agents
Recent tensions underscore the challenges facing the Organisation. Although some Member States were instrumental in its creation and remain key stakeholders, persistent disagreements have emerged regarding the interpretation and implementation of its work. Several incidents — notably the use of chemical weapons in Syria and the deployment of 4th-generation chemical agents in high-profile cases (the Novichok poisonings of the Skripals and Alexei Navalny) — have sparked repeated disputes and denials among various States Parties.
Furthermore, shifts within governance bodies have led to a reshuffling of regional balances. This has reduced the influence of certain actors, such as Russia, over operational decisions, without revoking their membership status.
2.2. Riot control agents and the war in Ukraine
Finally, recent reports from the Organisation have highlighted the use of riot control agents in the war between Ukraine and Russia. The Convention prohibits the use of such substances as a method of warfare, raising serious concerns about compliance with international commitments, particularly when these agents are used in a manner contrary to the spirit of the Convention.
2.3. Syria and the post-Assad cooperation
The OPCW’s relationship with Syria remains complex. Although it joined the organization in 2013, Syria failed to provide a complete declaration of its chemical stockpile and carried out several chemical attacks during its civil war, leading to the suspension of its rights and privileges in 2021. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, cooperation appears to be forming between the new authorities and the OPCW to inventory and destroy the country’s remaining chemical assets. The Syrian Arab Republic recently established a Syrian-led international team named “Anfas al-Hurriyah,” tasked with eliminating any potential remnants of the former regime’s chemical weapons program.
3. A global environment marked by the retreat from disarmament treaties
The current global context is defined by major powers disengaging from disarmament treaties.
In early January, the New START nuclear non-proliferation pact, signed in 2011 by Russia and the United States, expired without being renewed.
On a multilateral level, Lithuania withdrew from the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2025 — the first time a country has left the Convention since its adoption in 2008. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland withdrew from the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines in 2025, followed by Finland in early 2026, to better secure their borders against potential Russian aggression.
Finally, in late March 2026, citing the current military escalation, Iran threatened to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
4. Factors of OPCW resilience
These withdrawals, driven by the war in Ukraine and heightening international tensions, signal a weakening of international humanitarian law. Yet, as major powers step back from their commitments, the OPCW remains remarkably stable, serving as a critical pillar of international security and multilateral disarmament. Its resilience is rooted in its institutional framework, its near-universality, its humanitarian foundation, and its independent verification mechanisms.
5. Frequently asked questions
What is the OPCW and what are its main missions?
The OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) was established on April 29, 1997, alongside the Chemical Weapons Convention. Headquartered in The Hague, it ensures Member States comply with the Convention, monitors relevant chemical industry activities, conducts on-site inspections, and promotes peaceful uses of chemistry. To date, it has overseen the destruction of all 72,304 tonnes of declared chemical weapons stockpiles.
Why has the OPCW faced institutional tensions in recent years?
Tensions have arisen mainly from disputes over the use of chemical weapons in Syria and the Novichok poisonings of the Skripals and Alexei Navalny. These incidents led to repeated denials and disagreements among States Parties. Shifts in governance bodies have also reduced the influence of certain actors like Russia over operational decisions, without revoking their membership.
What is the current status of Syria within the OPCW?
Syria joined the OPCW in 2013 but failed to provide a complete declaration of its chemical stockpile and conducted several chemical attacks during its civil war. Its rights and privileges were suspended in 2021. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, the new Syrian authorities are cooperating with the OPCW, and a dedicated team — “Anfas al-Hurriyah” — has been set up to eliminate remnants of the former regime’s chemical weapons program.
Which countries have recently withdrawn from major disarmament treaties?
Lithuania withdrew from the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2025, the first country to do so since 2008. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Finland withdrew from the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines in 2025–2026. The New START nuclear pact between Russia and the US expired in early 2026 without renewal. Iran also threatened to leave the NPT in late March 2026.
Why does the OPCW remain stable despite global disarmament setbacks?
The OPCW’s resilience stems from several factors: a solid institutional framework, near-universal membership (193 states, covering 98% of the world’s population), a strong humanitarian foundation, and independent on-site verification mechanisms. Unlike many other disarmament treaties from which major powers are withdrawing, the OPCW continues to function as a credible and operational multilateral body.