Image source: opcw.org
Finland has contributed approximately €100,000 to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Trust Fund to support Syria investigative missions.
Additionally, Finland provided €150,000 to bolster fact-finding efforts through both the Syria and Ukraine Trust Funds.
The country has allocated another €50,000 for the implementation of Article X of the Trust Fund to aid ongoing assistance and protection programs specifically focused on Ukraine.
A signing ceremony took place at OPCW headquarters in The Hague on September 10, 2024, where Finland’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OPCW, H.E. Mr. Ilkka-Pekka Similä, formalized the contributions alongside OPCW Director-General Ambassador Fernando Arias.
Ambassador Similä expressed pride in Finland’s voluntary support for the OPCW’s Syria Trust Funds and Article X initiatives, reaffirming the country’s commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention and its stance against the use of chemical weapons “under any circumstances.”
Ambassador Similä also emphasized Finland’s confidence in the OPCW’s professional investigations, which span from Syria’s chemical weapons use cases to Ukraine’s preparedness against potential chemical threats. The Chemical Weapons Convention, in force since 1997, includes Finland among its Executive Council members, overseeing the OPCW’s governing policies.
Finland has provided over €1,587,000 in voluntary contributions across eight OPCW trust funds, including those dedicated to Syria’s special missions. In 2014, OPCW’s Declaration Assessment Team was created to work with the Syrian regime on resolving discrepancies in Syria’s chemical declarations.
That same year, the Fact-Finding Mission was launched to investigate chemical attack allegations, aiming to substantiate claims of toxic chemicals used in warfare. The Investigation and Identification Team began its work in 2019, tasked with identifying perpetrators behind Syria’s chemical weapons incidents.
Under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention, all member states have the right to participate in the broad exchange of equipment, materials, and information related to protection against chemical weapons.
On April 24, 2024, the OPCW addressed inconsistencies in Syria’s claims of eliminating its chemical weapons program, expressing concerns over ongoing chemical weapons development. Although in 2023, the OPCW confirmed the irreversible destruction of all declared chemical stockpiles under its stringent verification standards, concerns about Syria persist.
The Chemical Violations Documentation Centre in Syria (CVDCS) underscores the importance of effective compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, which mandates the complete eradication of chemical weapons by prohibiting their development, production, possession, stockpiling, transfer, or use by any member state. The CVDCS also calls for accountability for all parties involved in the hostile use of chemical weapons and advocates for justice for victims and their families.
