Participation in the Chemical Weapons Convention Signed and ratified
Acceded
Signed but not ratified
Non-signatory
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).
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
State party[ 1]
Signed
Deposited
Entered into force
Afghanistan [ 11]
14 January 1993
24 September 2003
24 October 2003
Albania
14 January 1993
11 May 1994
29 April 1997
Algeria
13 January 1993
14 August 1995
29 April 1997
Andorra
—
27 February 2003
29 March 2003
Angola
—
16 September 2015
16 October 2015
Antigua and Barbuda
—
29 August 2005
28 September 2005
Argentina
13 January 1993
2 October 1995
29 April 1997
Armenia
19 March 1993
27 January 1995
29 April 1997
Australia
13 January 1993
6 May 1994
29 April 1997
Austria
13 January 1993
17 August 1995
29 April 1997
Azerbaijan
13 January 1993
29 February 2000
30 March 2000
Bahamas, The
2 March 1994
23 April 2009
22 May 2009
Bahrain
24 February 1993
28 April 1997
29 April 1997
Bangladesh
14 January 1993
25 April 1997
29 April 1997
Barbados
—
7 March 2007
6 April 2007
Belarus
14 January 1993
11 July 1996
29 April 1997
Belgium
13 January 1993
27 January 1997
29 April 1997
Belize
—
1 December 2003
31 December 2003
Benin
14 January 1993
14 May 1998
13 June 1998
Bhutan
24 April 1997
18 August 2005
17 September 2005
Bolivia
14 January 1993
14 August 1998
13 September 1998
Bosnia and Herzegovina
16 January 1997
25 February 1997
29 April 1997
Botswana
—
31 August 1998
30 September 1998
Brazil
13 January 1993
13 March 1996
29 April 1997
Brunei
13 January 1993
28 July 1997
27 August 1997
Bulgaria
13 January 1993
10 August 1994
29 April 1997
Burkina Faso
14 January 1993
8 July 1997
7 August 1997
Burundi
15 January 1993
4 September 1998
4 October 1998
Cape Verde
15 January 1993
10 October 2003
9 November 2003
Cambodia
15 January 1993
19 July 2005
18 August 2005
Cameroon
14 January 1993
16 September 1996
29 April 1997
Canada
13 January 1993
26 September 1995
29 April 1997
Central African Republic
14 January 1993
20 September 2006
20 October 2006
Chad
11 October 1994
13 February 2004
14 March 2004
Chile
14 January 1993
12 July 1996
29 April 1997
China
13 January 1993
25 April 1997
29 April 1997
Colombia
13 January 1993
5 April 2000
5 May 2000
Comoros
13 January 1993
18 August 2006
17 September 2006
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
14 January 1993
12 October 2005
11 November 2005
Congo, Republic of the
15 January 1993
4 December 2007
3 January 2008
Cook Islands
14 January 1993
15 July 1994
29 April 1997
Costa Rica
14 January 1993
31 May 1996
29 April 1997
Côte d'Ivoire
13 January 1993
18 December 1995
29 April 1997
Croatia
13 January 1993
23 May 1995
29 April 1997
Cuba
13 January 1993
29 April 1997
29 May 1997
Cyprus
13 January 1993
28 August 1998
27 September 1998
Czech Republic
14 January 1993
6 March 1996
29 April 1997
Denmark
14 January 1993
13 July 1995
29 April 1997
Djibouti
28 September 1993
25 January 2006
24 February 2006
Dominica
2 August 1993
12 February 2001
14 March 2001
Dominican Republic
13 January 1993
27 March 2009
26 April 2009
East Timor
—
7 May 2003
6 June 2003
Ecuador
14 January 1993
6 September 1995
29 April 1997
El Salvador
14 January 1993
30 October 1995
29 April 1997
Equatorial Guinea
14 January 1993
25 April 1997
29 April 1997
Eritrea
—
14 February 2000
15 March 2000
Estonia
14 January 1993
26 May 1999
25 June 1999
Eswatini
23 September 1993
20 November 1996
29 April 1997
Ethiopia
14 January 1993
13 May 1996
29 April 1997
Fiji
14 January 1993
20 January 1993
29 April 1997
Finland
14 January 1993
7 February 1995
29 April 1997
France
13 January 1993
2 March 1995
29 April 1997
Gabon
13 January 1993
8 September 2000
8 October 2000
Gambia, The
13 January 1993
19 May 1998
18 June 1998
Georgia
14 January 1993
27 November 1995
29 April 1997
Germany
13 January 1993
12 August 1994
29 April 1997
Ghana
14 January 1993
9 July 1997
8 August 1997
Greece
13 January 1993
22 December 1994
29 April 1997
Grenada
9 April 1997
3 June 2005
3 July 2005
Guatemala
14 January 1993
12 February 2003
14 March 2003
Guinea
14 January 1993
9 June 1997
9 July 1997
Guinea-Bissau
14 January 1993
20 May 2008
19 June 2008
Guyana
6 October 1993
12 September 1997
12 October 1997
Haiti
14 January 1993
22 February 2006
24 March 2006
Honduras
13 January 1993
29 August 2005
28 September 2005
Hungary
13 January 1993
31 October 1996
29 April 1997
Iceland
13 January 1993
28 April 1997
29 April 1997
India
14 January 1993
3 September 1996
29 April 1997
Indonesia
13 January 1993
12 November 1998
12 December 1998
Iran
13 January 1993
3 November 1997
3 December 1997
Iraq
—
13 January 2009
12 February 2009
Ireland
14 January 1993
24 June 1996
29 April 1997
Italy
13 January 1993
8 December 1995
29 April 1997
Jamaica
18 April 1997
8 September 2000
8 October 2000
Japan
13 January 1993
15 September 1995
29 April 1997
Jordan
—
29 October 1997
28 November 1997
Kazakhstan
14 January 1993
23 March 2000
22 April 2000
Kenya
15 January 1993
25 April 1997
29 April 1997
Kiribati
—
7 September 2000
7 October 2000
Korea, South
14 January 1993
28 April 1997
29 April 1997
Kuwait
27 January 1993
29 May 1997
28 June 1997
Kyrgyzstan
22 February 1993
29 September 2003
29 October 2003
Laos
13 May 1993
25 February 1997
29 April 1997
Latvia
6 May 1993
23 July 1996
29 April 1997
Lebanon
—
20 November 2008
20 December 2008
Lesotho
7 December 1994
7 December 1994
29 April 1997
Liberia
15 January 1993
23 February 2006
25 March 2006
Libya
—
6 January 2004
5 February 2004
Liechtenstein
21 July 1993
24 November 1999
24 December 1999
Lithuania
13 January 1993
15 April 1998
15 May 1998
Luxembourg
13 January 1993
15 April 1997
29 April 1997
Madagascar
15 January 1993
20 October 2004
19 November 2004
Malawi
14 January 1993
11 June 1998
11 July 1998
Malaysia
13 January 1993
20 April 2000
20 May 2000
Maldives
1 October 1993
31 May 1994
29 April 1997
Mali
13 January 1993
28 April 1997
29 April 1997
Malta
13 January 1993
28 April 1997
29 April 1997
Marshall Islands
13 January 1993
19 May 2004
18 June 2004
Mauritania
13 January 1993
9 February 1998
11 March 1998
Mauritius
14 January 1993
9 February 1993
29 April 1997
Micronesia
13 January 1993
21 June 1999
21 July 1999
Mexico
13 January 1993
29 August 1994
29 April 1997
Moldova
13 January 1993
8 July 1996
29 April 1997
Monaco
13 January 1993
1 June 1995
29 April 1997
Mongolia
14 January 1993
17 January 1995
29 April 1997
Montenegro [ A]
—
23 October 2006
3 June 2006
Morocco
13 January 1993
28 December 1995
29 April 1997
Mozambique
—
15 August 2000
14 September 2000
Myanmar
14 January 1993
8 July 2015
7 August 2015
Namibia
13 January 1993
27 November 1995
29 April 1997
Nauru
13 January 1993
12 November 2001
12 December 2001
Nepal
19 January 1993
18 November 1997
18 December 1997
Netherlands [ B]
14 January 1993
30 June 1995
29 April 1997
New Zealand
14 January 1993
15 July 1996
29 April 1997
Nicaragua
9 March 1993
5 November 1999
5 December 1999
Niger
14 January 1993
9 April 1997
29 April 1997
Nigeria
13 January 1993
20 May 1999
19 June 1999
Niue
—
21 April 2005
21 May 2005
North Macedonia
—
20 June 1997
20 July 1997
Norway
13 January 1993
7 April 1994
29 April 1997
Oman
2 February 1993
8 February 1995
29 April 1997
Pakistan
13 January 1993
28 October 1997
27 November 1997
Palau
—
3 February 2003
5 March 2003
Panama
16 June 1993
7 October 1998
6 November 1998
Palestine [ C]
—
17 May 2018
16 June 2018
Papua New Guinea
14 January 1993
17 April 1996
29 April 1997
Paraguay
14 January 1993
1 December 1994
29 April 1997
Peru
14 January 1993
20 July 1995
29 April 1997
Philippines
13 January 1993
11 December 1996
29 April 1997
Poland
13 January 1993
23 August 1995
29 April 1997
Portugal
13 January 1993
10 September 1996
29 April 1997
Qatar
1 February 1993
3 September 1997
3 October 1997
Romania
13 January 1993
15 February 1995
29 April 1997
Russia
13 January 1993
5 November 1997
5 December 1997
Rwanda
17 May 1993
31 March 2004
30 April 2004
Saint Kitts and Nevis
16 March 1994
21 May 2004
20 June 2004
Saint Lucia
29 March 1993
9 April 1997
29 April 1997
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
20 September 1993
18 September 2002
18 October 2002
Samoa
14 January 1993
27 September 2002
27 October 2002
San Marino
13 January 1993
10 December 1999
9 January 2000
São Tomé and Príncipe
—
9 September 2003
9 October 2003
Saudi Arabia
20 January 1993
9 August 1996
29 April 1997
Senegal
13 January 1993
20 July 1998
19 August 1998
Serbia
—
20 April 2000
20 May 2000
Seychelles
15 January 1993
7 April 1993
29 April 1997
Sierra Leone
15 January 1993
30 September 2004
30 October 2004
Singapore
14 January 1993
21 May 1997
20 June 1997
Slovakia
14 January 1993
27 October 1995
29 April 1997
Slovenia
14 January 1993
11 June 1997
11 July 1997
Solomon Islands
—
23 September 2004
23 October 2004
Somalia
—
29 May 2013
28 June 2013
South Africa
14 January 1993
13 September 1995
29 April 1997
Spain
13 January 1993
3 August 1994
29 April 1997
Sri Lanka
14 January 1993
19 August 1994
29 April 1997
Sudan
—
24 May 1999
23 June 1999
Suriname
28 April 1997
28 April 1997
29 April 1997
Sweden
13 January 1993
17 June 1993
29 April 1997
Switzerland
14 January 1993
10 March 1995
29 April 1997
Syria
—
14 September 2013
14 October 2013
Tajikistan
14 January 1993
11 January 1995
29 April 1997
Tanzania
25 February 1994
25 June 1998
25 July 1998
Thailand
14 January 1993
10 December 2002
9 January 2003
Togo
13 January 1993
23 April 1997
29 April 1997
Tonga
—
29 May 2003
28 June 2003
Trinidad and Tobago
—
24 June 1997
24 July 1997
Tunisia
13 January 1993
15 April 1997
29 April 1997
Turkey
14 January 1993
12 May 1997
11 June 1997
Turkmenistan
12 October 1993
29 September 1994
29 April 1997
Tuvalu
—
19 January 2004
18 February 2004
Uganda
14 January 1993
30 November 2001
30 December 2001
Ukraine
13 January 1993
16 October 1998
15 November 1998
United Arab Emirates
2 February 1993
28 November 2000
28 December 2000
United Kingdom [ D]
13 January 1993
13 May 1996
29 April 1997
United States
13 January 1993
25 April 1997
29 April 1997
Uruguay
15 January 1993
6 October 1994
29 April 1997
Uzbekistan
24 November 1995
23 July 1996
29 April 1997
Vanuatu
—
16 September 2005
16 October 2005
Vatican City
14 January 1993
12 May 1999
11 June 1999
Venezuela
14 January 1993
3 December 1997
2 January 1998
Vietnam
13 January 1993
30 September 1998
30 October 1998
Yemen
8 February 1993
2 October 2000
1 November 2000
Zambia
13 January 1993
9 February 2001
11 March 2001
Zimbabwe
13 January 1993
25 April 1997
29 April 1997
States that have signed but not ratified
Non-signatory states
The following states are eligible to become parties to the Convention, but have not acceded to it.
States with limited recognition
See also
Notes
References
^ 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 .
^ "South Sudan to Join Chemical Weapons Convention" . Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons . 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2018-01-02 .
^ "OPCW: three nations close to joining chemical weapons convention" . Al Arabiya . Agence France-Presse . 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2018-01-03 .
^ 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 .
^ a b Ravid, Barak (2013-09-12). "Israel adamant it won't ratify chemical arms treaty before hostile neighbors" . Haaretz . Retrieved 2018-01-03 .
^ "Egypt refusing to sign WMD treaties" . Jerusalem Post . 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2013-11-01 .
^ Gulhane, Joel (2013-11-10). "Arab League discusses WMDs at Egypt's request" . Daily News Egypt . Retrieved 2018-01-03 .
^ Sanders, Edmund (2013-09-12). "Israel also facing questions about chemical weapons" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2018-01-03 .
^ Melman, Yossi (2013-11-04). "Israel wouldn't dare use nerve gas. So why not destroy it?" . i24NEWS . Retrieved 2013-11-14 .
^ "Chemical Weapons Control Isn't All About Syria" . Bloomberg News . 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2018-01-03 .
^ "Islamic Republic of Afghanistan" . OPCW . 24 November 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2022 .
^ "C.N.809.2017.TREATIES-XXVI.3" (PDF) . Secretary-General of the United Nations . 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-13 .
^ "C.N.5.2018.TREATIES-XXVI.3" (PDF) . Secretary-General of the United Nations . 2018-01-08. Retrieved 2018-01-13 .
^ "Taiwan Fully Supports Chemical Weapons Convention". Financial Times . 2002-08-27.
^ "China Chemical Chronology" (PDF) . Washington, D.C. United States: Nuclear Threat Initiative . June 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2023 .
^ "Taiwan Overview" . Washington, D.C. United States: James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies . 2023-09-06. Retrieved 2024-09-14 – via Nuclear Threat Initiative.
External links