The Geneva Protocol at 90: An Anchor for Arms Control?

On the 90th birthday of the Geneva Protocol, Alex Spelling, Brian Balmer and Caitriona McLeish reflect on a crucial chapter in the prohibition of chemical and biological weapons

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the use of lethal chemical weapons (CW) in World War One. Perhaps less well known is that June 17 2015 is the 90th anniversary of the piece of legislation which sought to prohibit such an occurrence ever happening again: the 1925 Geneva Protocol. This treaty is now firmly established in international law, governing both signatories and non-signatories. It is not a perfect instrument. Lacking enforcement machinery, the value of the Protocol lies in its moral and practical commitments towards regulating norms of behaviour and rules of engagement. And it has evolved throughout its history. The outcry over the alleged use of CW in Syria in recent years demonstrates the continued revulsion against these weapons and relevance of prohibiting them.

The ninety year old Protocol is also a crucial anchor for much of the subsequent effort to enact this prohibition. The treaty marked an important milestone in establishing a multilateral consensus on the conduct of warfare and the promotion of greater morality and stability in international affairs. Today 137 nations have ratified the agreement. During the 1980s allegations of CW use in conflicts and concern at the lack of investigative machinery in the Protocol led to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General's Mechanism being developed. Authority was granted to carry out investigations into allegations of chemical and biological warfare, as prohibited by the Protocol, which could be triggered by a request from any Member State. One such recent investigation was made into the alleged use of CW in the Ghouta area of Damascus on 21 August 2013.