Swiss diplomat Sabrina Dallafior becomes first woman to lead the OPCW

Monday 27 July 2026 - 12:31

By: Azzat Manal

Swiss diplomat Sabrina Dallafior becomes first woman to lead the OPCW

Swiss diplomat Sabrina Dallafior officially took office on July 27 as the new Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), beginning a four-year term at the head of the international body responsible for overseeing the global ban on chemical weapons.

Her appointment marks a historic milestone for the organization, as Dallafior becomes the first woman and the first Swiss national to lead the OPCW since its establishment in 1997. She is also the fifth Director-General in the organization's history.

Dallafior was unanimously elected by the states parties in November 2025 following a recommendation from the OPCW Executive Council. She was selected from a field of 11 candidates and succeeds Spanish diplomat Fernando Arias, who served as Director-General from 2017.

The new OPCW chief brings 25 years of experience in Swiss diplomacy. During her career, she served as Switzerland's ambassador to Finland and held senior positions in international disarmament and arms-control forums. She also chaired the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, one of the world's key multilateral platforms for arms-control negotiations.

In her official statement, Dallafior reaffirmed her commitment to protecting the strength and credibility of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the international treaty that prohibits the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.

She also emphasized the importance of investigating credible allegations involving the use of chemical weapons and addressing emerging security challenges. Among the issues expected to require increasing attention during her mandate are technological developments, including the potential impact of artificial intelligence on chemical security.

Dallafior takes leadership of the OPCW at a time when the organization continues to face complex international security challenges. Her mandate will involve strengthening the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, supporting international cooperation and maintaining confidence in the global system designed to prevent the use of chemical weapons.

Her appointment is also being viewed as an important step toward greater gender representation in the leadership of international organizations. As the first woman to head the OPCW, Dallafior begins her term with the responsibility of guiding the organization through an evolving global security environment while preserving its core mission of eliminating chemical weapons and preventing their future use.