Syria's New Dawn: Seizing the Chemical Disarmament Opportunity

The fall of Assad in Syria offers a chance to eliminate remaining chemical weapons, as backed by the U.S. and the OPCW. After years of conflict and repeated chemical attacks, there is renewed momentum to address unfulfilled obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The United States sees the fall of Bashar al-Assad as a critical moment to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons, which have caused mass harm in its prolonged civil war, a top U.S. official said. Nicole Shampaine, U.S. ambassador to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), expressed strong support for international efforts to dismantle Syria's chemical arsenal.

Ahead of a pivotal OPCW meeting in The Hague, the proposal seeks member states' support for technical assistance and funding to ensure Syria's compliance more than a decade after joining. Despite previous efforts, banned munitions still exist in Syria, and the situation remains volatile with numerous armed factions present.

The OPCW has documented chemical weapon usage by Assad's forces throughout the conflict. As new Syrian leadership emerges, there is hope to resolve chemical weapons-related issues decisively with international cooperation. Securing and destroying remaining weapons promptly is the immediate concern to prevent proliferation risks in an unstable nation.

(With inputs from agencies.)