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The United Kingdom announced on December 15, 2024, a new aid package for Syria, which includes funding for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
In a statement, the UK Foreign Office revealed that £120,000 of British funding has been allocated to support the OPCW’s operations in Syria.
The statement clarified that the funding will be used for the safe destruction of chemical weapon stockpiles in Syria, to ensure the country is free of such weapons. Additionally, it aims to assist the Syrian Interim Government in fulfilling its commitment to safeguarding chemical weapons sites and ensuring that such weapons are not used under any circumstances.
The UK Foreign Secretary stated that the funding for the OPCW’s work in Syria is part of efforts to prevent catastrophic human losses like those witnessed under the Assad regime.
As part of its broader strategy to foster long-term security and stability across the Middle East, the UK has pledged £50 million to assist Syrians. This funding comes as part of the British government’s support for the Syrian people, following what the Foreign Office described as the “welcome” fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
On April 24, 2024, the OPCW expressed doubts about the Syrian regime’s claims that it had dismantled its chemical weapons program. The organization also voiced concerns that Syria might still be engaged in the development of chemical weapons, despite its 2023 declaration that all chemical weapon stockpiles declared by member states had been irreversibly destroyed under its rigorous verification system.
Earlier, on October 4, 2024, the UK contributed £200,000 to the OPCW’s Trust Fund to support its missions related to Syria.
During previous UN meetings held under Assad’s rule, the UK frequently raised alarms about the Syrian regime’s potential capacity to develop and produce chemical weapons on a large scale without disclosing such activities.
The UK has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention came into effect in 1997. It is also a member of the OPCW Executive Council, the organization’s governing body.
assad_regime chemical_attack chemical_weapons opcw syria
