Email not displaying correctly? Click here to view it in your browser.
|
|
BWC Meetings of Experts concluded successfully
The 2017 Meeting of States Parties (MSP) agreed on a new BWC substantive intersessional programme from 2018-2020, comprising five Meetings of Experts (MXs) and one MSP every year. The first series of five MXs took place from 7 to 16 August in Geneva and addressed the following issues:
Up to 100 States Parties, two Signatory States and one Non-Signatory State participated in the MXs. In addition, various UN entities, international and regional organizations and 26 non-governmental organizations and research institutes also attended. The proceedings of the MXs were livestreamed via UN Web TV.
The reports of the MXs will be considered by the MSP which will take place in Geneva from 4 to 7 December under the chairmanship of Mr. Ljupco Jivan Gjorgjinski of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Registrations for the MSP will be opened in October and the ISU will shortly inform States Parties and Signatory States about the practical arrangements.
|
|
Latest News for BWC States Parties
|
|
|
CAR ratifies the BWC
The United States of America informed the ISU that the Central African Republic ratified the BWC on 25 September 2018 becoming the 182nd State Party to the Convention.
|
|
|
|
Niue accedes to the BWC
The United States of America informed the ISU that Niue acceded to the BWC on 14 June 2018 becoming the 181st State Party to the Convention.
|
|
|
Status of assessed contributions
The Financial Resources Management Service (FRMS) of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 31 August 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
On behalf of FRMS, in mid-September the ISU sent out Note Verbales enclosing the invoices for the BWC in 2019 to all States Parties. As explained in the Note Verbale, in an effort to increase the rate of collection of the contributions, to adhere to the Financial Regulations and Rules of the Organization and to ensure the operational continuity of the ISU, the 2019 invoices were issued earlier than in previous years. The goal is to ensure that sufficient funding is available at the beginning of the year to cover meeting costs and staff contracts which will be incurred starting January 2019.
We would therefore like to encourage those States Parties in a position to do so, to pay their 2019 assessed contributions to the BWC as soon as possible and any States Parties with arrears from previous years to pay them.
The ISU would like to express its appreciation to all those States Parties that have already paid their assessed contributions for 2018. Electronic copies of the invoices including the related Note Verbales can be obtained upon request from the ISU or via the restricted UNODA website.
|
|
Status of CBMs
So far, 74 States Parties have provided their confidence building measures (CBMs) for the 2017 calendar year, which represents the third highest number of submissions ever made. More information on the states of submissions and individual CBMs can be found here.
On 3 March the ISU sent a reminder letter to States Parties that the deadline for the submissions of CBMs covering calendar year 2017 was 15 April 2018.
|
|
|
Extended Assistance Programmes successfully concluded for Colombia and Iraq
Two Extended Assistance Programmes under the framework of the EU Council Decision 2016/51 in support of the BWC were recently concluded for Colombia and Iraq. For Colombia, workshops were organized in Bogota on 17 to 18 May and 20 September. The workshops focused on Transfer Controls of Biological Materials and covered topics related to the establishment of control lists for biological materials, the establishment of a BWC national authority, and the development of a biosecurity plan. Experts from Spain and UNODA delivered presentations and shared best practices at the events, which were attended by around 40 Colombian officials, civil society and industry representatives and other relevant experts.
A training workshop on the establishment of a national biosecurity system was organized for Iraqi experts from 9 to 12 September in Amman, Jordan. The training was carried out by experts from the Danish Centre for Biosecurity and Biopreparedness (CBB). The activity included presentations made by representatives from the Jordanian Royal Scientific Society’s Biosafety and Biosecurity Center and included a one-day training session on Confidence Building Measures carried out by experts from Hungary and the ISU. The event was followed by a complementary biosecurity training course organized for the Iraqi experts by the US State Department.
|
|
EU side event on the implementation of legislative assistance
On 13 August in Geneva, the European Union, in coordination with the CBRN Centre of Excellence Initiative, organised a side event entitled “EU Legislative Assistance in BTWC Implementation” on the sidelines of the BWC Meetings of Experts held in Geneva.
The event focused on EU Council Decision 2016/51/CFSP in support of the BWC and the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative, which were introduced respectively by Jean Pascal Zanders, Adviser to the EU Delegation, and Jirina Valentona, Policy Officer, European External Action Service. The UNODA Project Officer for the Council Decision, Ana Izar, provided an overview of the legislative assistance provided in the framework of the Council Decision. Representatives of four beneficiary countries, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mogolia and Tajikistan delivered presentations on the assistance they have received and the progress their countries have made.
|
|
Regional workshops on science and technology
In close collaboration with the host countries Mexico, Jordan and South Africa, a series of regional workshops on the ‘Implications of Developments in Science and Technology for the Biological Weapons Convention’ were organized as part of the implementation of EU Council Decision 2016/51 in support of the BWC. Three workshops have been held in recent months: in Mexico City for States Parties from Latin America and the Caribbean (16 to 17 April), in Amman for States Parties from the Middle East and North African region (11 to 12 July), and in South Africa for States Parties from Sub-Saharan Africa (25 to 26 July), respectively. The objective of the workshops was to share information, perspectives, and experiences regarding bio-technology and the dual-use nature of life sciences.
|
|
GCSP Course on Arms Control in the MENA Region
On 11 July, Daniel Feakes gave a presentation on Biological and Toxin Weapons as a part of a week-long course regarding “Building Capacities on Arms Control in the MENA Region.”
|
|
|
1540 regional peer review, Kyrgyzstan
From 28 to 30 June at Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and the government of Kyrgyzstan organized a peer review (Central Asia and Belarus) on the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). Subsequently, a Kyrgyz roundtable on the BWC and CWC in the context of the implementation of the National Action Plan for SCR1540 took place from 2 to 3 July. Alex Lampalzer from the ISU attended both events and provided several presentations on BWC related matters.
|
|
Codes of conduct workshop, Tianjin University, China
From 25 to 27 June, the government of China and the BWC ISU co-organized an international workshop on “Building a Global Community of Shared Future for Biosecurity: Development of a Code of Conduct for Biological Scientists.” The workshop was hosted by Tianjin University and served as a platform for a comprehensive and cross-regional dialogue on the development of a model code of conduct for biological scientists.
|
|
Workshop on Article X of the Convention
On 22 June, the government of Norway and the ISU co-organized an international workshop in Geneva on cooperation and assistance under Article X of the BWC. More than 50 participants took part in the event. The workshop was designed to contribute to the Meeting of Experts on Cooperation and Assistance.
|
|
|
NTI Global Biosecurity Dialogue
Daniel Feakes, Chief of the BWC ISU, attended the NTI Global Biosecurity Dialogue in London, UK from 18 to 20 June. Given the increased risk of a catastrophic biological event, this Dialogue had as its purpose to identify and track new, concrete, and measurable activities that would relate to advancing international biosecurity.
|
|
IAP workshop on “Governance of Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences”
From 10 to 13 June, Daniel Feakes, Chief of the BWC ISU, participated in an international workshop in Zagreb, Croatia on “Governance of Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences”. The workshop was organized by the InterAcademy Partnership, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Croatian Society for Biosafety and Biosecurity.
|
|
Moroccan BWC Implementation Workshop
From 10 to 11 May in Rabat, Morocco, a BWC Implementation Workshop was organized by Morocco’s National Institute of Hygiene, in close collaboration with the U.S. State Department. The workshop served as a follow-up to the peer review exercise carried out in Morocco in the previous year under EU Council Decision 2016/51. The event addressed various issues such as a gap analysis of implementing legislation for the BWC, establishment of a national list of pathogens and toxins as well as an inter-ministerial body in charge of BWC implementation, together with conduct of a BWC awareness raising campaign. Alex Lampalzer attended the event on behalf of the ISU.
|
|
|
|
Visit by senior Pakistani officials
On 8 May, senior officials from Pakistan visited UNODA in Geneva and Daniel Feakes, Chief of the BWC ISU, provided an overview of the BWC as well as the outcomes of the recent Meetings.
|
|
WMD Training Course in Qatar
From 1 to 2 May, a Training Course in the Field of WMD (Technical and Legislative Dimensions in the State of Qatar) took place in Doha, Qatar. Over 40 representatives from various Qatari ministries and institutions as well as 10 international speakers from international organizations, representatives of States and academia participated in the training. Alex Lampalzer from the ISU briefed on BWC universalization and national implementation issues from a regional perspective and also addressed the potential threat posed by bioterrorism.
|
|
CTITF Workshop
From 9-10 April at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague, 21 representatives from various international organizations participated in a workshop on the Working Group Project "Interoperability of Agencies and Coordinated Communication in the Event of a Chemical and/or Biological Weapons Attack (Implementation)", organized by the Co-Chairs of the CTITF Working Group on WMD, namely OPCW and IAEA. Alex Lampalzer and Valeria Santori provided an update on the Article VII project funded by Canada.
|
|
CBM and biosecurity training, Malaysia
From 9 to 11 April, at the request of the Malaysian authorities in the context of EU Council Decision 2016/51 in support of the BWC, the ISU facilitated two activities – a CBM training course and the first of two biosecurity training workshops. The CBM training event was attended by over 100 personnel from facilities across Malaysia and hear presentations from Daniel Feakes, the Chief of the ISU, and from a CBM expert from Hungary. The biosecurity training workshop was conducted by two experts from the Biosecurity Office of the Netherlands. The second biosecurity workshop took place in July.
|
|
|
|
Universalization mission to Haiti
From 21 to 23 March, upon the request of the Haitian authorities and in the framework of EU Council Decision 2016/51 in support of the BWC, ISU and UNODA staff conducted a universalization mission to Port-au-Prince, Haiti to support efforts to ratify the BWC. The delegation held meetings on 21 March with senior Haitian officials and parliamentarians in Port-au-Prince, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Antonio Rodrigue, and Minister of Defence, Mr Hervé Denis. From 22 to 23 March, the ISU/UNODA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Haiti co-organized a workshop to promote the ratification of the Convention, which was attended by over 60 Haitian representatives from different ministries and institutions working on matters relevant to the BWC.
|
|
|
Legislative assistance workshops in Malawi and Cameroon
From 13 to 15 March and from 21 to 23 March, upon the requests of Cameroon and Malawi respectively, legislative assistance workshops took place in Yaoundé and Lilongwe in the framework of UNODA's implementation of EU Council Decision 2016/51 in support of the BWC. The objective of the workshops was to provide expert legislative assistance to the Cameroonian and Malawian authorities to make progress in drafting and adopting BWC implementation laws and regulations. Staff from VERTIC partnered with UNODA to provide the required legislative expertise.
|
|
Student Visits
The ISU gave several introductory presentations on multilateral arms control and the BWC to the following groups of students and scholars visiting the Palais des Nations in Geneva: University of Fribourg, Boston University, Kennesaw State University, Northeastern University, the Anglo European School, and scholars from China, Japan, Mongolia and the Republic of Korea under the auspices of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS).
|
|
|
National Dialogue Forum on BWC Matters in Berlin
On 20 March, the German Federal Foreign Office organized a national dialogue forum on BWC matters in Berlin. More than 60 representatives from different stakeholder groups participated in the meeting. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss BWC implementation aspects from a national perspective, share best practices and identify suggestions for the enhanced implementation of the Convention. Alex Lampalzer from the ISU briefed participants on current BWC implementation issues including the 2018-2020 intersessional programme.
|
|
|
Assistance and Cooperation Opportunities
|
|
|
International Workshop on Biosafety Laboratory Management and Techniques, Wuhan, China
From 15 to 25 October the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) will co-organize an international workshop on biosafety laboratory management and techniques in Wuhan, China. The event will be carried out by the Wuhan Institute of Virology. China has offered the workshop as part of an assistance and cooperation offer under Article X of the Convention.
|
|
|
BWC Universalization Workshop for IGAD Member States
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, Geneva Branch, the Implementation Support Unit and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will co-organize a BWC universalisation workshop for IGAD Member States in Djibouti City from 3 to 4 October 2018. The regional workshop is carried out in the framework of the EU Council Decision 2016/51 in support of the BWC and aims at bringing together the eight IGAD Member States. With four of them having yet to join the Convention, the activity will focus on universalization aspects of the Convention. Additionally, it will serve as a forum to discuss implementation practices and opportunities for international cooperation and assistance.
BWC Implementation Workshop for Central Asian States Parties
The governments of Kazakhstan and Germany and the Implementation Support Unit will co-organize a regional workshop for Central Asian States Parties on scientific and practical implementation issues. The workshop will be held at the Central Reference Laboratory/M. Aikimbayev Kazakh Scientific Center for Quarantine and Zoonotic Diseases, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 23 to 24 October 2018.
Peer Review Exercise, Georgia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has extended an invitation to all States Parties to participate in a peer review compliance exercise from 14 to 15 November. The exercise will take place at the Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health in Tbilisi, Georgia.
|
|
Have you seen us on social?
Did you know the BWC ISU is active on social media? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for photos, interesting articles and relevant news about the BWC.
|
|
|
Recent Publications of Interest
|
|
|
US National Biodefense Strategy released
On 18 September, the White House released the first US biodefense strategy. The National Biodefense Strategy is aligned with the 2018 National Security Strategy of the United States and spans multiple government agencies. It addresses various scenarios such as deliberate bio events, naturally occurring outbreaks of diseases and those caused by accidental release of pathogens.
"The Digitization of Biology: Understanding the New Risks and Implications for Governance, Emergence & Convergence" Research Paper by Natasha E. Bajema, Diane DiEuliis, Charles Lutes, and Yong-Bee Lim
The authors analyze the emerging risks and implications of the digitalization of biology. The article informs about the particular challenges to governance in synthetic biology and a set of recommendations for U.S. policymakers.
John Oliver tackles Crispr by Elisabeth Eaves, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
The article is a commentary made on Last Week Tonight, in which John Oliver, the host of the show, explains CRISPR and gene editing. The original video of the show can be accessed here. The author also suggests additional Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists articles such as the interview with Kevin Esvelt and the review article on the recent work by Jennifer Doudna.
OIE Guidelines for Investigation of Suspicious Biological Events
The World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE) issued new ‘Guidelines for investigation of suspicious biological events’ (Guidelines for National Veterinary Services) when investigating suspicious biological events. A French version and Spanish version of the guidelines are also available.
PANORAMA, OIE Bulletin
The Panorama edition of the OIE Bulletin contains a multitude of perspectives which focus on tools to counter emerging biothreats. Articles on the BWC, dual use, threat reduction and national preparedness can be found in Perspectives.
“How do we control dangerous biological research”, by Filippa Lentzos, senior research fellow at King’s College London
This article explores the various ways in which different states invest in research for defensive purposes in the field of biological science. The author highlights the fine line between ‘defensive’ and ‘offensive’ research and wonders about the weaponization of biology. This article also touches upon the role of the BWC with regards to biological research.
“The New Killer Pathogens: Countering the Coming Bioweapons Threat”, by Katherine Charlet, Director of the Technology and International Affairs Program
This article brings to light the fact that, despite the deadly potential of biological weapons, their use remains rare and small scale. The author also analyzes the breakthroughs in gene editing and the reenergizing of the fear of weaponized pathogens. This article highlights the history of biological weapons and provides recommendations moving forward.
“Are Countries Prepared for the Increasing Threat of Engineered Bioweapons?” by Ranu Dhillon, Devabhaktuni Srikrishna, and David Beier
The authors start by highlighting the fact that in 2017, researchers recreated an extinct small pox-like virus that contained DNA they purchased online for just $100,000. This article thus exposes the risks related to biological weapons given the accessibility provided by developing technology. The authors also bring to light that developing vaccines takes years, and as such, one should wonder if countries are truly ready to address the threat of engineered bioweapons.
“Promoting a Scientist’s Duty of Care 4.0” by Adriaan van der Meer
The paper argues for the necessity to create and bolster flexible forms of cooperation at the grassroot levels to address the current non-proliferation challenges. More specifically, the author highlights the potential role that scientists, engineers, academics, experts and others could have regarding international security and non-proliferation. He presents the argument that this type of cooperation would be beneficial to enhance preventative measures.
Canadian Biosafety Guideline – Pathogen Risk Assessment (pdf)
This biosafety guideline provides guidance on how to conduct a pathogen risk assessment on certain pathogens. This information can also be found in French on the Government of Canada’s website.
Conducting a Biosecurity Risk Assessment
This guideline describes practices for conduction a biosecurity risk assessment in an organization where human or animal pathogens, toxins, or other regulated infectious material are handled or stored.
|
|
|
|
|
