Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is an <a href="/facts/Intergovernmental_organization/5ELbyRm6">intergovernmental organisation</a> and the implementing body for the <a href="/facts/Chemical_Weapons_Convention/eP3Vsv5o">Chemical Weapons Convention</a> (CWC), which entered into force on 29 April 1997. The OPCW, with its 193 member states, has its seat in <a href="/facts/The_Hague/NRtu1Qqk">The Hague</a>, <a href="/facts/Netherlands/y8xn5stT">Netherlands</a>; it oversees the global endeavour for the permanent and verifiable <a href="/facts/Destruction_of_chemical_weapons/wEJgcVQ8">elimination of chemical weapons</a>.
The organisation promotes and verifies the adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the use of <a href="/facts/Chemical_weapons/AwXDDhAR">chemical weapons</a> and requires their destruction. Verification consists both of evaluation of declarations by member states and onsite inspections.
The organisation was awarded the <a href="/facts/2013_Nobel_Peace_Prize/barf5H9v">2013 Nobel Peace Prize</a> "for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons". Nobel Committee chairman <a href="/facts/Thorbj%25C3%25B8rn_Jagland/G9hVwEdC">Thorbjørn Jagland</a> said, "The conventions and the work of the OPCW have defined the use of chemical weapons as a <a href="/facts/Taboo/3KuFszoI">taboo</a> under <a href="/facts/International_law/WJEPeq44">international law</a>".

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons open-in-new

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons