ABSTRACT
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) exists as an international body currently comprised of 192 member states with the shared mission of eliminating chemical weapons worldwide. The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and OPCW came into existence in the 1990s with the vision of developing verification strategies primarily designed for use with the traditional state actors toward the goal of eliminating chemical weapons across the globe. The perception of chemical warfare as a potentially effective pathway to victory has stood as a serious impediment to the elimination of its threat and employment. The loathing of the art of chemical warfare, which led to a long history of belligerents seeking special controls through rules of war, has culminated in numerous efforts to rebut such actions. The Technical Secretariat assists the Conference of States Parties and the Executive Council while also performing verification duties outlined in the CWC.
