OPCW Intensifies Syria Inspections as New Authorities Cooperate on Chemical Weapons Elimination

Overview

• OPCW teams have visited 19 locations since March, interviewed former experts, and collected six samples and over 6,000 documents.
• Information indicates more than 100 sites may have been involved beyond the 26 previously declared, with further deployments planned, including high‑priority areas near Latakia.
• A continuous OPCW presence has been re‑established in Syria, and a new Syrian Permanent Representative has taken up the post in The Hague.
• OPCW policy bodies adopted a Syrian‑led measure enabling expedited destruction upon discovery, with on‑site operations expected where removal is unsafe or impractical.
• The UK reported contributing over $3.8 million since December 2024 and, alongside UN officials, urged broader, sustained international funding and technical support.