Challenges to the Chemical Weapons Convention I

Abstract In the thirty years since the Chemical Weapons Convention opened for signature, the world has become safer due to the destruction of an entire category of declared weapons of mass destruction. Remaining challenges are political and technical. Political challenges include the small number of countries that continue to produce and use chemical weapons, such as the Assad regime in Syria, and Russia. They should be held to account by the majority of states that abide by the CWC. Technical challenges include bio-toxins, the reduced scale of manufacturing facilities, and new delivery systems. U.S. support for the OPCW, its new Chemtech Center, as well as support for training among member states helps address technical challenges.