BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION MEMBERS TO MEET IN GENEVA FROM 7 TO 11 DECEMBER

The Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) for 2009 will be held in the United Nations Office at Geneva from 7 to 11 December. Chaired by Ambassador Marius Grinius of Canada, the meeting will develop and consolidate the work of the Meeting of Experts (24-28 August) in order to promote common understanding and effective action on:

"With a view to enhancing international cooperation, assistance and exchange in biological sciences and technology for peaceful purposes, promoting capacity building in the fields of disease surveillance, detection, diagnosis, and containment of infectious diseases:

(1) for States Parties in need of assistance, identifying requirements and requests for capacity enhancement; and

(2) from States Parties in a position to do so, and international organizations, opportunities for providing assistance related to these fields."

Highlighting the significance of this topic in light of the current H1N1 influenza pandemic, the Chairman said that the Meeting of States Parties would be "an important opportunity to further develop the main themes to emerge from the Meeting of Experts: the need to better coordinate assistance, cooperation and capacity-building activities; the need for an integrated approach to human, animal and plant diseases; and the need for sustainability and long-term commitment in building capacity".

The Meeting of States Parties is also expected to further discuss other proposals considered at the Meeting of Experts, including: strengthening exchange of information and cooperation between States Parties and relevant international organizations; assisting states parties in the full implementation of the 2005 WHO International Health Regulations; cooperation between the public and private sector on disease surveillance; investment in human resources training and infrastructure; the development of standard operating procedures for disease management; partnerships between labs in developed and developing countries; the development of new vaccines; the development of regionally-implemented health systems; and the establishment of a mechanism to promote the implementation of Article X of the BWC.

The Meeting of Experts brings together nearly 500 participants from 95 countries, including almost 200 experts from government agencies; international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE); regional disease surveillance organizations; academic institutions; NGOs; and private sector companies. Referring to this broad range of participants, the Chairman said that the Meeting of States Parties will "capitalize on the wealth of information and perspectives contributed at the Meeting of Experts to develop common understandings that should be of practical assistance to all States Parties in their efforts to take effective action in building capacity for disease surveillance, detection, diagnosis and containment". The Chairman added that building capacity in disease surveillance, detection, diagnosis and containment would "help to reduce the risks posed to global security by biological weapons, and support the development of the peaceful applications of biological science and technology in accordance with Article X of the Convention".

The Meeting of States Parties is part of a four-year programme mandated by the 2006 Sixth Review Conference of the BWC aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Convention and improving its effectiveness as a practical barrier against the development or use of biological weapons. The BWC prohibits the development, production and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons. More formally referred to as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, the treaty opened for signature in 1972 and entered into force in 1975. It currently has 163 States Parties, with a further 13 States having signed but not yet ratified.


For further information, please contact:

Mr. Richard Lennane
Head, BWC Implementation Support Unit
Tel: +41 (0)22 917 22 30
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 04 83
E-mail: rlennane@unog.ch
URL : www.unog.ch/bwc


For use of the information media; not an official record