Founding of Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is an international body based in The Hague that was established to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention. The convention, which bans the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons, entered into force in April 1997, and the organization began work at that time. Its inspectors verify the destruction of declared stockpiles and monitor the chemical industry to prevent the production of banned substances. It has also investigated alleged uses of chemical weapons, including in Syria, and it supervised the removal of Syria's declared stockpile after 2013. The organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.

Open on the timeline