It has been a year since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.
This new Syrian government has provided hope that Assad-era chemical weapons will be verifiably identified and eliminated, once and for all.
The United Kingdom applauds the continued commitment of Syria’s leadership to comply with the Chemical Weapons Convention and to meet its obligations under Resolution 2118 and we commend the continued professionalism and dedication of the OPCW technical secretariat staff who carry out their work in Syria under difficult conditions.
In 2025, Syria and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons made important progress under challenging circumstances.
First, multiple OPCW deployments to Syria have increased our understanding of the scale and scope of Assad’s chemical weapons programme. Evidence found of an undeclared chemical weapons programme was a stark reminder of the threat in Syria and to the wider region.
Second, a Syrian-led decision on expedited destruction was adopted by the OPCW Executive Council in October allowing Syria and the OPCW to deal with dangerous elements of Assad’s programme upon discovery.
And third, a Syrian-led decision adopted at the Conference of the States Parties in November was an important step towards restoring Syria’s rights and privileges at the OPCW.
The United Kingdom welcomes the establishment of a continuous OPCW presence in Syria and the appointment of a new Syrian Permanent Representative to the OPCW in the Hague. We pay tribute to Qatar for representing Syria since January 2025.
These milestones provide a foundation for Syria and the OPCW secretariat to accelerate their work in 2026; however, there remain challenges to overcome.
Significant and sustainable financial and in-kind support from the international community is needed to deliver the elimination of Assad’s remnant chemical weapons programme.
The United Kingdom is proud to support Syria in this respect, having contributed over $3.8million since December 2024 to OPCW Syria missions. We will continue to provide technical expertise to both Syria and the OPCW.
We urge Council members and the wider international community to assist in this endeavour.
President, this Council has spent more than a decade discussing this file.
With clear commitment from Syria’s leadership to eradicate chemical weapons and to seek accountability for their use, we hope to see continued progress in 2026 to deliver these important outcomes for the Syrian people.