III. Chemical arms control and disarmament

Chapter:

13. Chemical and biological security threats

Source:

SIPRI Yearbook 2015

Author(s):

John Hart, Peter Clevestig

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is tasked with verifying adherence to the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).¹ Much of the work under the CWC in 2014 was dominated by the OPCW–United Nations Joint Mission in Syria, which included an operation to remove chemical agents from Syria by sea. The OPCW also undertook a fact-finding mission into alleged chemical weapon use, which concluded that a toxic chemical (most likely chlorine) had been used in a number of attacks (see section IV of this chapter). In support of these actions, the OPCW made concerted efforts at the 19th Conference of the States Parties (CSP) to the CWC to confirm whether Syria was in compliance with its obligations under the treaty. Over the course of the year, the OPCW also oversaw the destruction of chemical weapons in various states and carried out inspections of old or abandoned weapons sites.