Marshall Islands Pushes Bill to Tighten Chemical Controls
A high-level delegation from the Republic of the Marshall Islands visited the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to accelerate efforts toward adopting national legislation that will be crucial for full implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The three-day visit represented a key milestone in the Marshall Islands’ efforts to translate the Chemical Weapons Convention’s obligations into enforceable national legislation.
The OPCW’s capacity building programme is supporting this crucial phase through the Influential Visitors Programme, which offers tailored advocacy and legislative guidance to States Parties at a critical stage of adopting national implementing measures.
Organised by the OPCW’s International Cooperation and Assistance Division, the Programme provided a focused platform for a high-level Marshallese delegation to engage in discussions with OPCW experts and leadership, including Director-General Ambassador Fernando Arias and Deputy Director-General Odette Melono. Conversations centred on key legal and policy considerations anticipated during the legislative process, such as jurisdictional scope, extraterritoriality, and tailored approaches suited to national context.
Dedicated national legislation ensures that any activity prohibited by the Chemical Weapons Convention can be effectively detected, deterred, and prosecuted under the rule of law, while also enabling responsible scientific exchange and the peaceful use of chemistry.
https://www.opcw.org/media-centre/news/2025/08/marshall-islands-seeks-advance-legislation-strengthen-chemical-weapons