The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced on Thursday that it has reinstated Syria’s voting rights, a move occurring five years after the country was stripped of these privileges during the administration of ousted leader Bashar Assad. The global watchdog stated that a “significant change in circumstances” following the collapse of the Assad regime prompted the decision.
According to the OPCW, the new Syrian authorities have committed to fulfilling the nation’s obligations under the chemical weapons convention. The organization noted that the current leadership has already taken concrete steps to cooperate with the Technical Secretariat to reach compliance goals. OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias described the development as a milestone in efforts to achieve the complete and verified destruction of remaining chemical weapons linked to the former government. He added that the new framework provides a robust path for verification activities overseen by the Executive Council.
Syria first joined the watchdog in 2013 amidst a civil war sparked by anti-government protests. At that time, the decision to join occurred under significant Western pressure following poison gas attacks against opposition forces. While the Assad administration initially declared chemical weapons at 26 sites, the OPCW believed an additional 100 locations remained undeclared. In 2021, the country lost its rights due to its failure to disclose the full scope of its program and the confirmed use of chemical agents on its territory. The watchdog has previously attributed the use of such weapons to both the Assad regime and non-state actors, including the Islamic State militant group.
The current political shift follows a rapid rebel offensive led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former Islamist militia leader who now serves as Syria’s interim president. Since assuming power, Sharaa has actively worked to restore diplomatic relations with the West.
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