BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION MEETING OF STATES PARTIES TO CONVENE IN GENEVA FROM 4 TO 8 DECEMBER 2017

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.

In accordance with the decision of the Eighth Review Conference, this year’s meeting will seek to make progress on issues of substance and process for the period before the Ninth Review Conference, with a view to reaching consensus on an intersessional process.

The Meeting of States Parties will be chaired by Ambassador Amandeep Singh Gill of India with Ambassador Michael Biontino of Germany and Ambassador Juraj Podhorský of Slovakia as the Vice-Chairs.

The 2017 Meeting of States 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 organized by States, and organizations and professional bodies.

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. It currently has 179 States Parties, and six States that have signed but not yet ratified it.

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 #MSP2017 #1972BWC



For use of the information media; not an official record


DC/17/38E