Biological Weapons Convention; 2018 Meeting of Experts on Review of Developments in the Field of Science and Technology Related to the Convention

Mr Chair,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,

A very warm welcome to the Palais des Nations. It is a pleasure to be with you this morning, under your Chairmanship, Mr Dalcero.

The topics that you will discuss here over the next two days are of great global importance. These are issues that are not only discussed in this room, but in Geneva more broadly. International Geneva and the collective struggle against biological warfare are closely connected. It was here in Geneva in 1925 that States agreed the Geneva Protocol, prohibiting the use in war of both chemical and biological weapons.

In the UN Secretary General´s new disarmament agenda, “Securing Our Common Future”, the Secretary General noted that advances in science and technology are revolutionizing all aspects of our social and economic life. Technological and scientific progress has increased global wealth, trade and prosperity, improving living conditions in many parts of the world. They are crucial tools in helping accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It is therefore highly appropriate that the very first agenda item that you will consider this morning reflects on the positive implications of new science and technology developments. These will bring great benefits to fields such as public health, combatting infectious diseases, food security and climate change, just to name a few.

But there is also reason to be cautious. As the Secretary-General noted, “Many developments, however, are also enabling, at an accelerating pace, the design and acquisition of new weapon technologies with unclear or potential dangerous applications. Some of the foreseeable risks and challenges include grave implications for the maintenance of international peace and security, ensuring respect for international humanitarian and human rights law and the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

This risk of (intended or) unintended consequences is clearly reflected in the agenda of your meeting and have been discussed for a long time within this forum.

I am happy that UN Geneva is again able to host these discussions. Managing and balancing the benefits and the risks of scientific advances simply cannot be done without international collaboration that transcends institutions and academic disciplines.

The UN offers a platform which brings together the range and diversity of stakeholders and expertise required to effectively address this issue, and I am pleased to see that participation in this meeting is indeed diverse, with representatives coming from States, international organizations, academia and the private sector. The importance of engaging with civil society cannot be overstated, and I am therefore particularly pleased to note the strong presence and engagement of civil society in your deliberations.

One of the 3 key pillars of the Secretary-General’s agenda is “Disarmament for Future Generations” with a focus on understanding the implications posed by developments in science and technology and encouraging responsible innovation and application of new technologies. Your discussions over the next two days, will be of great relevance to the implementation of this agenda.

You will continue your discussion on the issue of biosecurity education and the development of a voluntary model code of conduct for biological scientists. The Secretary-General has also undertaken to “engage and work with scientists, engineers and industry to encourage responsible innovation of science and technology, to ensure its application for peaceful purposes, as well as the responsible dissemination of knowledge, in conformity with the principles and objectives of the United Nations.” Your deliberations and their conclusions will, I hope, help operationalise that commitment.

The BWC remains a cornerstone in our efforts to ensure that public health is not endangered through the deliberate weaponisation of germs and diseases. While technology can present challenges to current arms control regimes like the BWC, the same technologies can also provide us with new tools to protect against the use of biological weapons. As a disarmament measure, the Convention is an integral part of broader efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

We need to strengthen the norms embodied in the BWC – norms that have already been accepted by 181 States Parties – to ensure that advances in science and technology are applied responsibly. We can only achieve this by working in partnership, drawing on the expertise and engagement of all stakeholders. It is my firm conviction that it is through partnerships that we will advance disarmament most effectively - not just in the area of biological weapons, but also more broadly.

The General Assembly adopted resolution (72/28) in 2017 requesting the Secretary-General to submit a report on current developments in science and technology and their potential impact on international security and disarmament matters to the Assembly at it session this year. He is in the process of doing so.

The issue of emerging technologies and scientific advances in life sciences are also being discussed in the Conference on Disarmament in the context of new weapons technologies.

The continuing and increasing impact of “frontier technologies” transcends borders and institutions. It is therefore essential that such developments continue to be monitored and discussed with experts like yourselves. We rely on your commitment in the years ahead to help us strengthen disarmament norms and to ensure that they are respected by all.

I wish you much success in your deliberations over the next two days, a very pleasant stay in International Geneva and look forward to welcome you back soon.

Thank you.