Background document prepared by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at the Sixth Session of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other WMD

Background document prepared by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at the Sixth Session of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other WMD

The background document, prepared by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), outlines the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and its role in global and regional security. The document reports that as of August 2025, all of declared chemical weapons and declared chemical weapons production facilities had been destroyed or converted to peaceful purposes. It highlights universality as a priority, noting that four states remain outside the Convention: Israel (a signatory), and Egypt, South Sudan, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (non-signatories). It stresses that adherence by all states is essential for regional peace and security. The paper also describes the OPCW’s efforts to counter chemical terrorism, provide capacity-building and assistance programmes in the Middle East, and support national legislation. It includes updates on regional cases: Syria’s past violations and ongoing cooperation after the change of its regime, Libya’s completed destruction of declared stockpiles, and Iraq’s verified encapsulation of remnants. The document concludes that universal adherence is critical to achieving a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction.