September 16, 11am-12:30pm
Fifteen years have elapsed since the forces of deposed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad used banned nerve agents in an attack on anti-regime populations outside Damascus, killing more than 1200 people. The incident led to a global pressure campaign that brought Syria into the Chemical Weapons Convention and led to the removal of most, but not all, of its large and deadly chemical arsenal.
Today, Syria's new government and its people are still grappling with the deadly legacies of the civil war. Syria is working with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the international community to account for and demilitarize Assad's residual chemical weapons arsenal, seeking to assist victims, and pursuing accountability for the perpetrators.
Key Remarks:
- Amb. Katoub will provide an update on the important developments relating to the ongoing chemical weapons demilitarization efforts.
Speakers:
- Amb. Ahmet Üzümcü, former Director-General of the OPCW, on the organization's past contributions and its role today.
- Fadel Abdulghany, Director, Syrian Network on Human Rights, on the importance of the Syrian government’s efforts to hold perpetrators accountable and what governments can do to assist such efforts.
Moderator:
- Gregory D. Koblentz, associate professor and director of the Biodefense Graduate Program at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government.
This virtual briefing will be on the record and open to the public, reporters, diplomats, and members of the CWC Coalition around the globe.