THE HAGUE — The executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) reinstated Syria's voting rights on Thursday, July 9, 2026. On the same day, the council approved plans to destroy a declared stockpile of chemical weapons materials at a site in Al Qutayfah, located 37 kilometers (23 miles) north of Damascus. The stockpile includes materials used to make a nerve agent.

Syria's voting rights were suspended in 2021, making it the first member state to experience such a suspension by the OPCW. The reintegration of Syria's voting rights occurred a day after U.S. authorities announced Washington would remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

In May 2026, the OPCW reported the discovery of dozens of chemical bombs and rockets from the Assad era in Syria. These findings emerged as previously undeclared weapons sites became accessible to inspectors. Ahmad al-Sharaa, the President of Syria, led the offensive that removed Bashar Assad in 2024 and pledged to destroy any remaining chemical weapons from the Assad era.

Syria joined the OPCW in 2013. At that time, the Assad administration declared that chemical weapons were present at 26 locations within the country. The OPCW had indicated it believed Syria possessed an additional 100 chemical weapons sites beyond those declared in 2013. In 2013, Syria was estimated to have approximately 1,000 tonnes of chemical toxins.

U.S. intelligence estimated that a 2013 chemical attack in Ghouta killed at least 1,400 people, including 426 children, and attributed the attack with high confidence to the Syrian government. Bashar Assad denied involvement and attributed the attack to rebels.

Fernando Arias, OPCW Director-General, stated that the decisions by the executive council reflect tangible progress achieved through continued cooperation and constructive engagement between the Technical Secretariat and the Syrian Arab Republic.

Why It Matters

The reinstatement of Syria's voting rights by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the approval for chemical weapon destruction mark a development in international efforts concerning chemical disarmament. This action follows a period of suspension of Syria's voting rights, which had been in effect since 2021.

The moves align with pledges from Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to eliminate remaining chemical weapons from the Assad era, following discoveries of previously undeclared munitions. These recent events also coincide with the United States' decision to remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.