International experts gathered in London for the 28th Chemical Weapons Demilitarisation Conference, a Ministry of Defence and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) news story reported on 21 October 2026. The event, held since 1998, covered efforts to address the legacy of the Assad chemical weapons programme in Syria as well as wider destruction challenges, chemical forensics, emerging technologies and future chemical security.

Opening speakers included Damian Johnson, the Ministry of Defence's Director for Homeland Defence and Strategic Threats; OPCW Director-General Sabrina Dallafior; Cassandra Simmons-Brown, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Programs (Acting); and Dstl Chief Executive Dr Paul Hollinshead. Sessions examined Syria's changed circumstances, progress in destroying Japanese abandoned chemical weapons left in China after the Second World War, and technical lessons from destruction technologies. Further discussions covered identifying unknown chemicals, attribution, artificial intelligence in chemical analysis and capacity building.

Johnson said the international community must help Syria eradicate the Assad programme's legacy and that Russia must be held accountable for continued chemical weapons use. Dallafior said progress in Syria showed multilateralism working. Simmons-Brown said automated chemistry, additive manufacturing and drone delivery were lowering barriers to chemical weapon acquisition and use. Hollinshead said designated laboratories such as Dstl remain vital to preserving expertise and keeping the norm against chemical weapons enforceable.