Dear Chair, Director-General, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

In recent years, we have seen a rise in disinformation concerning chemical weapons. These campaigns erode trust in international disarmament treaties and their safeguarding institutions, including the OPCW , and negatively impact critical cooperative threat reduction efforts. This year has been no different, with disinformation spreading through online platforms, media reports, and within disarmament bodies. Disinformation has become an all-too-common element in certain national statements, working papers, Notes Verbales and Right of Replies submitted to multilateral fora. Examples have been seen at the Conference of States Parties for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Working Group Meetings and Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention, the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference and the UN First Committee.

Disinformation campaigns across the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) spectrum pose a critical threat to international security. Non-proliferation and disarmament activities are particularly vulnerable to these hostile tactics due to the dual-use nature of many CBRN materials and the associated and underlying technical complexities. This type of disinformation undermines trust in the rules-based international system, weakens the integrity of multilateral agreements, and jeopardises hard-won successes, including those of the OPCW in upholding the CWC. Malign actors also use disinformation as a tool to amplify fear among the public and flame global tensions regarding critical security issues.

Much of the international community has recognized the significant threats posed by disinformation, including that which targets cooperative threat reduction efforts. But to counter and defeat disinformation, dedicated efforts are required. This is why the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP) established and continues to prioritize the WMD Counter Disinformation Initiative, which works to identify, debunk and defend against CBRN disinformation wherever it arises, whenever it arises. Our Initiative has produced a series of concrete tools based on rigorous research and engagement. Our most recent work includes an analytical roadmap of common disinformation tactics used within disarmament bodies. This roadmap debunks chemical weapon and biological weapon-related disinformation with the goal of increasing resilience to these tactics in the future.

We have also produced a brief explainer video describing several tactics and how they are leveraged to effectively spread CBRN disinformation. We recently published a chronological, interactive tool that tracks how CBRN disinformation is shaping multilateral disarmament debates. Finally, we regularly develop and disseminate countering disinformation primers ahead of meetings such as this Conference of States Parties, forewarning delegates of potential disinformation narratives and providing concrete recommendations to refute and debunk such threats.

All of our tools are available on our Initiative website: GPWMDCounterDisinfo.com. Our goal is to leverage an evidence-based approach which aims to equip the disarmament community with the ability to recognise, resist, and respond to disinformation before it erodes trust and cooperation.

While the initiative’s work continues to identify chemical weapons disinformation in Ukraine, including such efforts that spread through forums related to the CWC, we are now turning our attention to the rise of chemical weapons disinformation beyond Europe, including in Africa, the Indo-Pacific and South America. We are eager to continue to coordinate with partners to counter these campaigns within these forums and across other diplomatic, political and public architectures.

We encourage all delegations to help prevent and counter harmful WMD disinformation, to support the work of the OPCW, and to work towards a safer and more secure world. We likewise encourage you to engage with our initiative, both to leverage the resources and materials we produce, and to share your own experiences, concerns and questions. Neither you nor we can win the battle against disinformation on our own. Together, however, we can and will regain the upper hand and restore truth to its proper place.

We thank you for your kind attention and request this statement be made part of the official published proceedings of this Conference.

The GP Counter WMD Disinformation Initiative