OPCW Restores Syria Voting Rights After Regime Change

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Executive Council adopted a resolution on July 9, 2026, to restore the rights and privileges of the Syrian Arab Republic. The decision, reached by consensus during the 112th session in The Hague, reverses a suspension enacted in April 2021 after the previous regime used poison gas against civilians in al-Lataminah and Saraqib.

The resolution was drafted by Qatar and co-sponsored by approximately 67 states. It rewards the new Syrian authorities under President Ahmad al-Sharaa for their constructive engagement and efforts to eliminate the remnants of the chemical weapons program. Concrete progress included the discovery of clandestine weapons in May and the approved destruction of nerve agent materials at a site in Al Qutayfah.

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack congratulated Syria on the milestone, which coincided with a U.S. announcement to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry welcomed the move, stating it demonstrates international confidence in the country's transformation and commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention.