OPCW Director-General Sabrina Dallafior paid an official visit to Paris, France on 26 August 2026, where she met with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean-Noël Barrot, and other high-level officials.
Discussions centred on various aspects of the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), including in Syria and in the context of Ukraine. DG Dallafior noted that the international disarmament architecture finds itself under unprecedented pressure across the entire spectrum of weapons of mass destruction and thanked France for their continuing support to the OPCW.
Director-General Dallafior briefed the Minister on the latest developments regarding OPCW activities in Syria, highlighting the need for continued support to the country and to the Technical Secretariat in this context. She recognised France's pivotal role in addressing the Syrian chemical weapons file and expressed hope that progress would be made more quickly in this new phase, with the support of States Parties.
During the meeting, Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, commended the achievements of the OPCW and reiterated the continued support of France in strengthening the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The Director General highlighted her goals: upholding the global norm against chemical weapons, strengthening the Organisation's capacity to respond to future challenges, and supporting States Parties' implementation of the Convention.
In this regard, Director-General Dallafior underscored her commitment to working with all States Parties to ensure that the norm against chemical weapons remains strong, credible and universally respected. She emphasized that the Technical Secretariat stands ready to assist States Parties within the framework of the Convention and the mandates given by States Parties.
Director-General Dallafior also used this opportunity to thank France for its longstanding support for the Technical Secretariat's capacity-building activities, which have contributed to high-impact assistance to francophone African States Parties.
To date, France has provided over EUR 11 million voluntary contributions to strengthen the Organisation's activities around the globe.
Background
France has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997. France is a member of the OPCW Executive Council, the governing body of the Organisation.
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.
