BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION MEETING OF STATES PARTIES TO CONVENE IN GENEVA FROM 14 TO 18 DECEMBER 2015

The 2015 Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 14 to 18 December 2015. Formally known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction, the Convention was the first multilateral disarmament treaty to ban an entire category of weapons. It was opened for signature in 1972 and entered into force in 1975, meaning that the BWC is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year. It currently has 173 States parties, and nine States that have signed but not yet ratified.

The 2015 Meeting of States Parties is the final such meeting in the current intersessional programme that was mandated by the Seventh BWC Review Conference in 2011. The four-year intersessional programme includes annual Meetings of Experts as well as Meetings of States Parties. The report of this year’s Meeting of Experts, which took place in August, will be considered at the Meeting of States Parties. This year is the final year of the current 2012 to 2015 intersessional process, next year will see the Eighth BWC Review Conference.

The current intersessional programme seeks to discuss and promote common understanding and effective action on those issues identified for inclusion in the programme. This year's Meeting of States Parties will pursue discussion on, inter alia,:

- Cooperation and assistance, with a particular focus on strengthening cooperation and assistance under Article X;
- Review of developments in the field of science and technology related to the Convention;
- Strengthening national implementation;
- How to strengthen Article VII , including consideration of detailed procedures and mechanisms for the provision of assistance and cooperation by States Parties.

Additionally, this year’s Meeting of States Parties also has the mandate to discuss and approve arrangements for the Eighth Review Conference and its Preparatory Committee in 2016.

The Meeting of States Parties will be chaired by Ambassador Mazlan Muhammad of Malaysia, who successfully led the discussions during the Meeting of Experts in August 2015. Referring to the preparations of the meeting, the Chairman said, “We had a solid basis of material on the topics introduced during the Meeting of Experts. With the Eighth Review Conference just under a year away, it is more important than ever to make sure that we hold an efficient, effective and productive Meeting of States Parties, one which will make a valuable contribution to the forthcoming Review Conference.”

The 2015 Meeting of State Parties will also consider progress on the universalization of the Convention, and will review the work of the Implementation Support Unit, created in 2006 to assist States Parties in meeting their obligations under the treaty. There will also be a full schedule of side events and exhibitions organized by states, and organizations and professional bodies.



For further information, please contact:

Mr. Daniel Feakes
Chief, BWC Implementation Support Unit
Tel +41 (0)22 917 22 30
Fax +41 (0)22 917 04 83

Or:

Visit our website: www.unog.ch/bwc
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/1972BWC
Follow us on Twitter: @BWCISU #BWCMSP2015 #1972BWC



For use of the information media; not an official record

DC15/051E