Syria: Serious Concern Over Undeclared Chemical Weapons – UNODA Briefing

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Published Jan 11, 2026

Deputy High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Adedeji Ebo said, “There is currently a critical opportunity to obtain long-overdue clarifications on the full extent and scope of the Syrian chemical weapons programme and to rid the country of all chemical weapons.”

Briefing the Security Council on the situation in Syria, Ebo reported, “In addition to the 26 declared chemical weapons-related sites, information made available to the OPCW suggests that there are more than 100 other sites that may have been involved in the previous government’s chemical-weapons related activities. As part of its work on this matter, the OPCW Technical Secretariat plans to visit all these locations, taking into account security and other relevant considerations.”

He also said, “With support and facilitation from the Syrian Government, OPCW teams have deployed in March, April, June, August, September, October and November 2025, and the overall number of locations visited since March 2025 now stands at 19. Of these, four were locations previously declared, while 15 were suspected chemical weapons-related locations.”

He highlighted, “The commitment of the new Government in Syria to fully and transparently cooperate with the OPCW Technical Secretariat is both welcome and commendable. I also commend the efforts of the Syrian teams on the ground, whose work involves significant physical risk.”

He concluded, “There is currently a critical opportunity to obtain long-overdue clarifications on the full extent and scope of the Syrian chemical weapons programme and to rid the country of all chemical weapons. I once again urge the members of this Council to unite and show leadership in providing the support that this unprecedented effort will require.”

Ibrahim Olabi, Syrian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said, “While Syria looks forward to international assistance in overcoming this heavy legacy, it reiterates its determination to continue the efforts to close this chapter, guided by a deep conviction that there is no place for chemical weapons in today’s world, and further guided by its firm commitment to uphold and strengthening the global non-proliferation regime as a cornerstone pillar of regional and international peace and security.”