List of parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention

Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention encompasses the states that have ratified or acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention, a multilateral treaty outlawing the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. In addition, these states are members of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Participation in the Chemical Weapons Convention
  Signed and ratified
  Acceded
  Signed but not ratified
  Non-signatory

On January 13, 1993, the Convention was opened for signature.[1] Fiji became the first state to ratify the Convention on January 20, 1993.[1] Pursuant to article 21 of the Convention, it entered into force on April 29, 1997, after it had been ratified by 65 states.[1] The Convention was closed for signature on the preceding day, and states that did not sign the Convention can now only accede to it. Pursuant to article 21 of the Convention, for states that ratify or accede to the Convention after this date, the Convention enters into force 30 days after their deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession.

A total of 197 states may become parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, including 193 United Nations member states, the Cook Islands, Niue, Palestine, and Vatican City. As of August 2022, 193 states have ratified or acceded to the Convention (most recently Palestine on 17 May 2018) and another state (Israel) has signed but not ratified the Convention.[1] Only Egypt, North Korea, and South Sudan have neither signed nor acceded to the Convention. All four states which are not parties are suspected of possessing chemical weapons.

Of the four non-parties, South Sudan stated in December 2017 that it "has all but concluded the process of joining the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons".[2] Ahmet Üzümcü, the Director-General of the OPCW, has stated that Egypt, Israel, and North Korea had "regional reasons" for not joining.[3][4] Egypt has promised to ratify the Convention if Israel, the only state in the Middle East that is believed to possess nuclear weapons, ratifies the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.[5][6][7] Israel, meanwhile, has stated that it will ratify the Convention if all other non-parties in the region (of which only Egypt remains) do so as well.[5][8] In addition, Israel has been reluctant to ratify due to an unwillingness to grant OPCW inspectors access to its military bases.[9] North Korea is thought to be unlikely to become a party for the foreseeable future.[10]

List of state parties

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State party[1]SignedDepositedEntered into force
 Afghanistan[11]14 January 199324 September 200324 October 2003
 Albania14 January 199311 May 199429 April 1997
 Algeria13 January 199314 August 199529 April 1997
 Andorra27 February 200329 March 2003
 Angola16 September 201516 October 2015
 Antigua and Barbuda29 August 200528 September 2005
 Argentina13 January 19932 October 199529 April 1997
 Armenia19 March 199327 January 199529 April 1997
 Australia13 January 19936 May 199429 April 1997
 Austria13 January 199317 August 199529 April 1997
 Azerbaijan13 January 199329 February 200030 March 2000
 Bahamas, The2 March 199423 April 200922 May 2009
 Bahrain24 February 199328 April 199729 April 1997
 Bangladesh14 January 199325 April 199729 April 1997
 Barbados7 March 20076 April 2007
 Belarus14 January 199311 July 199629 April 1997
 Belgium13 January 199327 January 199729 April 1997
 Belize1 December 200331 December 2003
 Benin14 January 199314 May 199813 June 1998
 Bhutan24 April 199718 August 200517 September 2005
 Bolivia14 January 199314 August 199813 September 1998
 Bosnia and Herzegovina16 January 199725 February 199729 April 1997
 Botswana31 August 199830 September 1998
 Brazil13 January 199313 March 199629 April 1997
 Brunei13 January 199328 July 199727 August 1997
 Bulgaria13 January 199310 August 199429 April 1997
 Burkina Faso14 January 19938 July 19977 August 1997
 Burundi15 January 19934 September 19984 October 1998
 Cape Verde15 January 199310 October 20039 November 2003
 Cambodia15 January 199319 July 200518 August 2005
 Cameroon14 January 199316 September 199629 April 1997
 Canada13 January 199326 September 199529 April 1997
 Central African Republic14 January 199320 September 200620 October 2006
 Chad11 October 199413 February 200414 March 2004
 Chile14 January 199312 July 199629 April 1997
 China13 January 199325 April 199729 April 1997
 Colombia13 January 19935 April 20005 May 2000
 Comoros13 January 199318 August 200617 September 2006
 Congo, Democratic Republic of the14 January 199312 October 200511 November 2005
 Congo, Republic of the15 January 19934 December 20073 January 2008
 Cook Islands14 January 199315 July 199429 April 1997
 Costa Rica14 January 199331 May 199629 April 1997
 Côte d'Ivoire13 January 199318 December 199529 April 1997
 Croatia13 January 199323 May 199529 April 1997
 Cuba13 January 199329 April 199729 May 1997
 Cyprus13 January 199328 August 199827 September 1998
 Czech Republic14 January 19936 March 199629 April 1997
 Denmark14 January 199313 July 199529 April 1997
 Djibouti28 September 199325 January 200624 February 2006
 Dominica2 August 199312 February 200114 March 2001
 Dominican Republic13 January 199327 March 200926 April 2009
 East Timor7 May 20036 June 2003
 Ecuador14 January 19936 September 199529 April 1997
 El Salvador14 January 199330 October 199529 April 1997
 Equatorial Guinea14 January 199325 April 199729 April 1997
 Eritrea14 February 200015 March 2000
 Estonia14 January 199326 May 199925 June 1999
 Eswatini23 September 199320 November 199629 April 1997
 Ethiopia14 January 199313 May 199629 April 1997
 Fiji14 January 199320 January 199329 April 1997
 Finland14 January 19937 February 199529 April 1997
 France13 January 19932 March 199529 April 1997
 Gabon13 January 19938 September 20008 October 2000
 Gambia, The13 January 199319 May 199818 June 1998
 Georgia14 January 199327 November 199529 April 1997
 Germany13 January 199312 August 199429 April 1997
 Ghana14 January 19939 July 19978 August 1997
 Greece13 January 199322 December 199429 April 1997
 Grenada9 April 19973 June 20053 July 2005
 Guatemala14 January 199312 February 200314 March 2003
 Guinea14 January 19939 June 19979 July 1997
 Guinea-Bissau14 January 199320 May 200819 June 2008
 Guyana6 October 199312 September 199712 October 1997
 Haiti14 January 199322 February 200624 March 2006
 Honduras13 January 199329 August 200528 September 2005
 Hungary13 January 199331 October 199629 April 1997
 Iceland13 January 199328 April 199729 April 1997
 India14 January 19933 September 199629 April 1997
 Indonesia13 January 199312 November 199812 December 1998
 Iran13 January 19933 November 19973 December 1997
 Iraq13 January 200912 February 2009
 Ireland14 January 199324 June 199629 April 1997
 Italy13 January 19938 December 199529 April 1997
 Jamaica18 April 19978 September 20008 October 2000
 Japan13 January 199315 September 199529 April 1997
 Jordan29 October 199728 November 1997
 Kazakhstan14 January 199323 March 200022 April 2000
 Kenya15 January 199325 April 199729 April 1997
 Kiribati7 September 20007 October 2000
 Korea, South14 January 199328 April 199729 April 1997
 Kuwait27 January 199329 May 199728 June 1997
 Kyrgyzstan22 February 199329 September 200329 October 2003
 Laos13 May 199325 February 199729 April 1997
 Latvia6 May 199323 July 199629 April 1997
 Lebanon20 November 200820 December 2008
 Lesotho7 December 19947 December 199429 April 1997
 Liberia15 January 199323 February 200625 March 2006
 Libya6 January 20045 February 2004
 Liechtenstein21 July 199324 November 199924 December 1999
 Lithuania13 January 199315 April 199815 May 1998
 Luxembourg13 January 199315 April 199729 April 1997
 Madagascar15 January 199320 October 200419 November 2004
 Malawi14 January 199311 June 199811 July 1998
 Malaysia13 January 199320 April 200020 May 2000
 Maldives1 October 199331 May 199429 April 1997
 Mali13 January 199328 April 199729 April 1997
 Malta13 January 199328 April 199729 April 1997
 Marshall Islands13 January 199319 May 200418 June 2004
 Mauritania13 January 19939 February 199811 March 1998
 Mauritius14 January 19939 February 199329 April 1997
 Micronesia13 January 199321 June 199921 July 1999
 Mexico13 January 199329 August 199429 April 1997
 Moldova13 January 19938 July 199629 April 1997
 Monaco13 January 19931 June 199529 April 1997
 Mongolia14 January 199317 January 199529 April 1997
 Montenegro[A]23 October 20063 June 2006
 Morocco13 January 199328 December 199529 April 1997
 Mozambique15 August 200014 September 2000
 Myanmar14 January 19938 July 20157 August 2015
 Namibia13 January 199327 November 199529 April 1997
 Nauru13 January 199312 November 200112 December 2001
   Nepal19 January 199318 November 199718 December 1997
 Netherlands[B]14 January 199330 June 199529 April 1997
 New Zealand14 January 199315 July 199629 April 1997
 Nicaragua9 March 19935 November 19995 December 1999
 Niger14 January 19939 April 199729 April 1997
 Nigeria13 January 199320 May 199919 June 1999
 Niue21 April 200521 May 2005
 North Macedonia20 June 199720 July 1997
 Norway13 January 19937 April 199429 April 1997
 Oman2 February 19938 February 199529 April 1997
 Pakistan13 January 199328 October 199727 November 1997
 Palau3 February 20035 March 2003
 Panama16 June 19937 October 19986 November 1998
 Palestine[C]17 May 201816 June 2018
 Papua New Guinea14 January 199317 April 199629 April 1997
 Paraguay14 January 19931 December 199429 April 1997
 Peru14 January 199320 July 199529 April 1997
 Philippines13 January 199311 December 199629 April 1997
 Poland13 January 199323 August 199529 April 1997
 Portugal13 January 199310 September 199629 April 1997
 Qatar1 February 19933 September 19973 October 1997
 Romania13 January 199315 February 199529 April 1997
 Russia13 January 19935 November 19975 December 1997
 Rwanda17 May 199331 March 200430 April 2004
 Saint Kitts and Nevis16 March 199421 May 200420 June 2004
 Saint Lucia29 March 19939 April 199729 April 1997
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines20 September 199318 September 200218 October 2002
 Samoa14 January 199327 September 200227 October 2002
 San Marino13 January 199310 December 19999 January 2000
 São Tomé and Príncipe9 September 20039 October 2003
 Saudi Arabia20 January 19939 August 199629 April 1997
 Senegal13 January 199320 July 199819 August 1998
 Serbia20 April 200020 May 2000
 Seychelles15 January 19937 April 199329 April 1997
 Sierra Leone15 January 199330 September 200430 October 2004
 Singapore14 January 199321 May 199720 June 1997
 Slovakia14 January 199327 October 199529 April 1997
 Slovenia14 January 199311 June 199711 July 1997
 Solomon Islands23 September 200423 October 2004
 Somalia29 May 201328 June 2013
 South Africa14 January 199313 September 199529 April 1997
 Spain13 January 19933 August 199429 April 1997
 Sri Lanka14 January 199319 August 199429 April 1997
 Sudan24 May 199923 June 1999
 Suriname28 April 199728 April 199729 April 1997
 Sweden13 January 199317 June 199329 April 1997
  Switzerland14 January 199310 March 199529 April 1997
 Syria14 September 201314 October 2013
 Tajikistan14 January 199311 January 199529 April 1997
 Tanzania25 February 199425 June 199825 July 1998
 Thailand14 January 199310 December 20029 January 2003
 Togo13 January 199323 April 199729 April 1997
 Tonga29 May 200328 June 2003
 Trinidad and Tobago24 June 199724 July 1997
 Tunisia13 January 199315 April 199729 April 1997
 Turkey14 January 199312 May 199711 June 1997
 Turkmenistan12 October 199329 September 199429 April 1997
 Tuvalu19 January 200418 February 2004
 Uganda14 January 199330 November 200130 December 2001
 Ukraine13 January 199316 October 199815 November 1998
 United Arab Emirates2 February 199328 November 200028 December 2000
 United Kingdom[D]13 January 199313 May 199629 April 1997
 United States13 January 199325 April 199729 April 1997
 Uruguay15 January 19936 October 199429 April 1997
 Uzbekistan24 November 199523 July 199629 April 1997
 Vanuatu16 September 200516 October 2005
 Vatican City14 January 199312 May 199911 June 1999
 Venezuela14 January 19933 December 19972 January 1998
 Vietnam13 January 199330 September 199830 October 1998
 Yemen8 February 19932 October 20001 November 2000
 Zambia13 January 19939 February 200111 March 2001
 Zimbabwe13 January 199325 April 199729 April 1997

States that have signed but not ratified

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Non-signatory states

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The following states are eligible to become parties to the Convention, but have not acceded to it.

States with limited recognition

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Montenegro succeeded to the Chemical Weapons Convention on 3 June 2006, the date of its independence from Serbia and Montenegro, per a declaration it sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which was received on 23 October 2006.
  2. ^ The Convention was extended to the Netherlands Antilles (now the Caribbean Netherlands, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten) and Aruba on 28 April 1997.
  3. ^ Palestine originally submitted an instrument of accession to the Secretary-General of the United Nations depositary on 29 December 2017,[12] but subsequently notified the depositary of its withdrawal of this instrument of accession on 8 January 2018.[13] Palestine subsequently resubmitted an instrument of accession on 17 May 2018.
  4. ^ The Convention was extended to Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Anguilla; Bermuda; the British Antarctic Territory; the British Indian Ocean Territory; the British Virgin Islands; the Cayman Islands; the Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Guernsey; the Isle of Man; Jersey; Montserrat; the Pitcairn Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; and the Turks and Caicos Islands on 26 October 2005.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction". United Nations Treaty Collection. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  2. ^ "South Sudan to Join Chemical Weapons Convention". Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
  3. ^ "OPCW: three nations close to joining chemical weapons convention". Al Arabiya. Agence France-Presse. 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  4. ^ Eaves, Elisabeth (2014-10-09). "Ahmet Uzumcu: Getting rid of chemical weapons in Syria and beyond". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Archived from the original on 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  5. ^ a b Ravid, Barak (2013-09-12). "Israel adamant it won't ratify chemical arms treaty before hostile neighbors". Haaretz. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  6. ^ "Egypt refusing to sign WMD treaties". Jerusalem Post. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  7. ^ Gulhane, Joel (2013-11-10). "Arab League discusses WMDs at Egypt's request". Daily News Egypt. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  8. ^ Sanders, Edmund (2013-09-12). "Israel also facing questions about chemical weapons". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  9. ^ Melman, Yossi (2013-11-04). "Israel wouldn't dare use nerve gas. So why not destroy it?". i24NEWS. Retrieved 2013-11-14.
  10. ^ "Chemical Weapons Control Isn't All About Syria". Bloomberg News. 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  11. ^ "Islamic Republic of Afghanistan". OPCW. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  12. ^ "C.N.809.2017.TREATIES-XXVI.3" (PDF). Secretary-General of the United Nations. 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
  13. ^ "C.N.5.2018.TREATIES-XXVI.3" (PDF). Secretary-General of the United Nations. 2018-01-08. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
  14. ^ "Taiwan Fully Supports Chemical Weapons Convention". Financial Times. 2002-08-27.
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