Hungary has made a voluntary contribution of €50,000 to support the activities of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), reinforcing its continued commitment to the objectives of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
The contribution will be allocated across three OPCW trust funds:
€30,000 to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions, aiding the Organisation's efforts to fully clarify and resolve outstanding issues related to Syria's chemical weapons programme;
€10,000 to the Trust Fund for the Implementation of Article X, supporting capacity-building initiatives, including regional assistance and protection training courses;
€10,000 to the Trust Fund for Training, earmarked specifically for the OPCW's Education and Training Programme for Youth on Peaceful Uses of Chemistry.
The voluntary contributions were formalised on 15 July, 2025 in a signing ceremony held at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague, attended by the Permanent Representative of Hungary to the OPCW, H.E. Mr Dániel Horogszegi Szilágyi-Landeck, and OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias.
Ambassador Szilágyi-Landeck stated: "The international community and the OPCW must seize this historic opportunity to fully eliminate Syria's chemical weapons, hence Hungary's voluntary contribution to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions. We commend the dedicated efforts of the Director-General and the Technical Secretariat on the Syria file. Hungary also supports the continuation and potential expansion of the OPCW's International Cooperation and Assistance programmes. Hungary wishes to actively contribute to the work of the OPCW and remains a committed State Party."
Director-General Arias welcomed the contribution and remarked: "Hungary's contribution provides important support across several key areas of the OPCW's work. It will assist the Organisation in clarifying unresolved aspects of Syria's chemical weapons programme, where continued vigilance and technical engagement remain essential. It also strengthens our ability to build practical assistance and protection capacity at the regional level. Importantly, this contribution invests in education and outreach to younger generations, who will carry forward the values of chemical disarmament and the peaceful uses of chemistry. Supporting the next generation is vital to ensuring the long-term success and relevance of the Chemical Weapons Convention."
Background
Hungary has been a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention since its entry into force in 1997 and has been an active member since. To date, Hungary has contributed €89,410 to OPCW trust funds, including prior support to the Trust Fund for Assistance and the Trust Fund for the Centre for Chemistry and Technology.
The Trust Fund for Syria Missions supports the OPCW's continued efforts in relation to the Syrian Arab Republic, including technical missions and fact-finding activities aimed at clarifying outstanding issues with Syria's chemical weapons declarations. The fund also facilitates investigations into the alleged use of chemical weapons, in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and relevant decisions of the OPCW's policy-making organs and the United Nations Security Council.
The Trust Fund for the Implementation of Article X is dedicated to enhancing assistance and protection capabilities among OPCW Member States. It provides support for regional and national training courses, workshops, and exercises that help States Parties strengthen their preparedness and response mechanisms in the event of chemical incidents.
The Trust Fund for Training underpins the OPCW's education and training programmes. It supports initiatives like the "Education and Training Programme for Youth on Peaceful Uses of Chemistry," designed to engage and equip young scientists in disarmament, chemical safety, and dual use awareness.
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention's entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
In 2023, the OPCW verified that all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by the 193 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1997-totalling 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agents-have been irreversibly destroyed under the OPCW's strict verification regime.
For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
