States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) have concluded the 2017 Meeting of States Parties (MSP) held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 4 to 8 December. The meeting was chaired by Ambassador Amandeep Singh Gill of India with Ambassador Michael Biontino of Germany and…

The 2017 Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 4 to 8 December 2017. This is the first such meeting in the new 2017-2020 intersessional process that was mandated by the Eighth BWC Review Conference in 2016…

A Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), which was established in 2016 by the Fifth Review Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), will meet for the first time from 13 to 17 November. The GGE…

On 21 September 2017, Samoa deposited its instrument of accession to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) with the US Government which is one of three Depositary Governments of the Convention. Samoa’s accession to the BWC brings its total membership to 179 States Parties. The Chairman of…

The Conference on Disarmament has concluded its 2017 session, which was held from 23 January to 31 March; 15 May to 30 June; and 31 July to 15 September 2017. During the session, the Presidency of the Conference was successively assumed by Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Slovakia,…

On 5 April 2017, Lebanon joined the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Protocol I on Non-detectable Fragments, Amended Protocol II on Mines, Booby-traps and Other Devices, and Protocol III on Incendiary Weapons. Lebanon also joined the Amendment to Article 1 of the Convention…

On 25 May 2016, Côte d'Ivoire joined the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Protocol I on Non-detectable Fragments, Protocol II on Mines, Booby-traps and Other Devices, Protocol III on Incendiary Weapons and Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War. Ambassador Tehmina Janjua of…

States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) will meet in Geneva, Switzerland from 26 to 27 April 2016 for the Preparatory Committee of the Eighth Review Conference. In an innovation from previous review cycles, they will resume their work from 8 to 12 August. The Review Conference…

The Conference on Disarmament this morning held its first plenary meeting under the Presidency of Pakistan. Ambassador Tehmina Janjua of Pakistan, incoming President of the Conference, stated that the state of play in the Conference was a reflection of the prevailing strategic realities. The…

On 11 March 2016, Bahrain joined the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Protocol III on Incendiary Weapons, Protocol IV on Blinding Laser Weapons and Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War. Bahrain is now the 122nd State Party to the CCW. Ambassador Tehmina Janjua of Pakistan…