Canada welcomes ban of Novichocks under Chemical Weapons Convention

November 27, 2019 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:

“Today, signatories to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) took a strong stance for a safer world when they agreed unanimously to add Novichoks to the list of chemicals banned by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Following the despicable attacks against Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, U.K. in March of 2018 and the death of Dawn Sturgess in Amesbury, U.K. in July of 2018, it has become clear that these substances must be subject to declaration and verification.

In October, 2018, Canada, the Netherlands and the United States proposed to list two families of toxic chemicals, including Novichoks, in the CWC. Today’s agreement marks the first time new toxic chemicals have been added to the OPCW list and furthers our commitment to a world free of chemical weapons.

Canada and its partners will continue to support the work of the OPCW and to hold accountable those who use illegal chemical weapons.”

Quick facts

• Novichoks were used in the attack against Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, U.K., in March, 2018, and are responsible for the death of Dawn Sturgess in Amesbury, U.K., in July, 2018.
• The OPCW is an independent, treaty-based body established in 1997 to implement the CWC. With over 190 states parties, the CWC is one of the world’s most widely subscribed treaties.
• The OPCW is the only multilateral institution charged with eradicating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction. To date, it has verified the elimination of 97% of the world’s declared chemical weapons.