BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION EXPERT MEETING CONCLUDES
The 2008 Meeting of Experts from States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) was held in Geneva from 18 to 22 August 2008 to discuss and promote common understanding and effective action on:
1. National, regional and international measures to improve biosafety and biosecurity, including laboratory safety and security of pathogens and toxins; and
2. Oversight, education, awareness raising, and adoption and/or development of codes of conduct with the aim of preventing misuse in the context of advances in bio-science and bio-technology research with the potential of use for purposes prohibited by the Convention.
The Meeting brought together almost 500 participants, including diplomats, officials and over 180 scientists and experts from government agencies, international organizations, international and regional academies of science, professional associations, academic institutions, and commercial corporations.
Participants discussed concepts of biosecurity and biosafety in-depth, as well as means to improve their implementation both at national and international levels. Australia was one of several delegations to highlight the important differences between biosecurity and biosafety, noting that "biosecurity comprises measures that minimize the possibility of biological agents being deliberately used to cause harm. This distinguishes it from biosafety, which involves measures aimed at protecting people and the environment from the unintentional impact of biological agents, and includes workplace health and safety issues and the prevention of the accidental release of such agents. In essence, biosafety protects people from dangerous germs, while biosecurity protects germs from dangerous people."
Many participants agreed that education and awareness-raising were essential, especially among scientists who deal with biological materials that could potentially be turned into weapons. Some delegations called for the establishment of codes of conduct as a way to enhance the responsibility of practitioners and the global security of biological research and related activities. Iran summed up the views of many by stating that "raising [the] scientific community's awareness in either state or private sectors with respect to the objectives enshrined in the BWC could be an important and effective element in promoting the national implementation of the Convention."
Other proposals included: establishment of international standards; strengthening of laboratory protective measures; prevention of unauthorized access to facilities with high risks; external certification and audit to improve biosafety and biosecurity standards; reinforcement of management of pathogenic organisms and of risk-assessment methods; involvement of all stakeholders; increase of regional and international cooperation to improve biosafety and biosecurity methods; improvement of transportation methods; training for scientists and life sciences students to raise awareness of the Convention; and supporting workshops and seminars both for officials and scientists.
The Meeting of Experts was chaired by Ambassador Georgi Avramchev of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Referring to the extensive discussions held during the week, the Chairman said that "given the rapid increase in both size and geographic distribution of modern biotechnology, bringing biologists on board efforts to prevent misuse is a significant challenge. This meeting has seen us take a large step forwards. The number and diversity of participants has confirmed, once again, that the BWC is the ideal forum for the coordination of efforts to ensure the life sciences are used only for the benefit of humanity".
In addition to government experts from States Parties to the BWC, participants included experts from international organizations such as the WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the OECD; scientific organizations such as the InterAcademy Panel on International Issues and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; professional associations such as the American Biological Safety Association, the Asia-Pacific Biosafety Association, and the European Biosafety Association; and private sector corporations such as the J.Craig Venter Institute, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca PLC.
In order to give this wide range of experts more opportunities to meet their counterparts and maximize networking, the 2008 Meeting of Experts featured poster sessions for the first time, held on Tuesday 19 August (topic 1) and Thursday 21 August (topic 2). The poster sessions enhanced the technical information available to delegations by allowing experts to present a poster on the details of their work. Both sessions were enthusiastically received by participants, and it is likely that such sessions will become a regular feature of BWC meetings.
The results of the Meeting of Experts will be considered by the Meeting of States Parties, to be held in Geneva from 1-5 December 2008. The Meeting of States Parties will review the ideas and proposals presented at the Meeting of Experts, and produce a report aimed at promoting effective action to strengthen the operation of the Convention in the areas covered by the two topics.
The Meeting of Experts 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 162 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
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