On December 5, 2024, Nidal Shikhani,
The Director General of the Chemical Violations Documentation Center of Syria (CVDCS), delivered a speech during a session of the United Nations Security Council dedicated to the issue of chemical weapons in Syria.
In his remarks, Shikhani emphasised that the Center’s efforts, along with the investigations conducted by international teams assigned by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), have unequivocally demonstrated the use of chemical weapons for hostile purposes in Syria. The investigations have also identified the perpetrators and revealed the chain of command responsible for such actions.
Shikhani highlighted the Center’s efforts in documenting violations to ensure victims’ rights and to strengthen the ability of State Parties to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and to gain a deeper understanding of the declarations submitted by States, including Syria.
He praised the significant efforts made by the OPCW since its inception, particularly in establishing accountability mechanisms to ensure a world free of chemical weapons.
Despite the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2118 in 2013, which called for the dismantling of Syria’s chemical arsenal, and the Declaration Assessment Team’s work on the destruction of the stockpile, violations involving various chemical agents, including chlorine and sarin, have continued. Shikhani noted that investigations confirmed that the sarin used in the 2017 attacks on Khan Shaykhun and Al-Lataminah matches the declared Syrian stockpile, which has been marked by a lack of transparency.
Shikhani described the Syrian regime’s violations as evidence of continued manipulation by the Syrian Arab Republic in its dealings with the OPCW. He referenced OPCW reports that have highlighted unresolved issues, including undeclared activities.
He further stated that the Syrian regime’s declaration of having destroyed its chemical stockpile “cannot be considered accurate or complete,” accusing the regime of pursuing a policy of “deliberate stalling and non-compliance” with its obligations under the CWC and related Security Council resolutions.
Shikhani urged countries supporting the Syrian regime to cease protecting it and to stop shielding what he referred to as the “chemical terror machine” that has devastated Syrians and violated international agreements. He called for a focus on supporting accountability mechanisms and respecting the obligations of State Parties.
He also appealed to the international community for urgent and decisive action, encouraging new approaches to address chemical weapons issues, including those related to Syria’s stockpile. Shikhani stressed the need to develop strategies that ensure a world free from weapons of mass destruction and to achieve justice by holding perpetrators accountable for their use.
Meanwhile, Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, reiterated that Syria’s declaration regarding its chemical weapons program cannot be considered accurate or complete, citing 19 unresolved issues. She emphasised that these unresolved matters are significant and include potentially large quantities of chemical warfare agents that were not disclosed to the OPCW Technical Secretariat.
U.S. Representative Robert Wood emphasised that the Security Council must remain informed about Syria’s chemical weapons file, expressing concerns that the Syrian regime might resort to using chemical weapons against its own people if it feels threatened due to the current turmoil in Syria.
Wood urged all member states to implement the collective measures recommended by the OPCW Conference of the States Parties in 2023, including those aimed at preventing the transfer of certain chemicals and dual-use equipment to Syria.
The UK representative echoed this view, stating, “It is time for the regime to comply with its obligations under Security Council Resolution 2118 (2013), cooperate with the OPCW Technical Secretariat, and fully declare its chemical weapons program. Only then can we consign Syria’s chemical weapons to history.” She added that, given the heightened tensions in the Middle East, “the undeclared chemical weapons in Syria pose an unacceptable risk.”
In contrast, the Syrian regime’s representative insisted that Syria had fulfilled all its obligations under the CWC, destroyed its entire chemical weapons stockpile, and dismantled production facilities, pointing to its cooperation with the OPCW.
Following the 2013 chemical attack on Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, which confirmed the use of sarin gas as a weapon, the UN placed Syria’s chemical arsenal under OPCW control as part of Resolution 2118. The OPCW confirmed the complete destruction of the declared arsenal in October 2013, following Syria’s accession to the CWC in September of the same year.
The Chemical Violations Documentation Center of Syria (CVDCS) underscores the need for the effective implementation and full compliance with the CWC, which mandates the elimination of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, transfer, and use of chemical weapons by State Parties.
The CVDCS also stresses the importance of holding all parties involved in the use of chemical weapons accountable and achieving justice for the victims and their families.
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