Countries: Syrian Arab Republic, Canada Source: Government of Canada April 22, 2026 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada Canada is supporting international efforts to identify and eliminate chemical weapons that remain in Syria, to prevent future use. Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced Canada’s contribution of $5 million to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) through Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program. The funding will support the OPCW’s work to verify the scope of Syria’s former chemical weapons program, investigate past uses of chemical weapons and prepare for the safe destruction of remaining chemical weapons, in line with the Chemical Weapons Convention. This work is key to Syria’s long-term stability as it advances accountability efforts and reduces the risk to civilians of any future chemical weapons use. This contribution is part of Canada’s long-standing support to the OPCW to uphold the global ban on chemical weapons and strengthen international accountability. Quick facts The OPCW is responsible for implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the development, production and use of chemical weapons. The convention has 193 states parties, including Canada. For more than two decades, the Weapons Threat Reduction Program—Canada’s contribution to the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction—has worked with and supported the OPCW to verify, investigate, secure and destroy chemical weapons, including those developed and deployed by the Assad regime in Syria. Canada engages with the OPCW through its permanent representative in The Hague, Netherlands, and through international coordination efforts focused on chemical weapons non-proliferation, counterterrorism and accountability. Contacts Media Relations Office Global Affairs [email protected] Follow us on X: @CanadaFP Like us on Facebook: Canada’s foreign policy - Global Affairs Canada