ZAMBIA JOINS THE BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

The campaign to universalize membership of the Biological Weapons Convention has recorded a further success, with Zambia acceding with effect from 15 January 2008, becoming the one hundred and sixtieth State party to the treaty.

Described as a cornerstone of international peace and security, and – along with the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and the Chemical Weapons Convention – as one of the three fundamental pillars of the international community's response to the threat of weapons of mass destruction, the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) has been focused on increasing its membership since its Sixth Review Conference in December 2006. The Conference decided to undertake a concerted effort to promote universal adherence to the Convention, to be guided by the Chairman of the annual BWC meetings, assisted by the new BWC Implementation Support Unit (which the Conference established). The Chairman was charged with lobbying non-members to join and providing an annual report to States parties on universalization activities.

The Chairman for the 2008 meetings, Ambassador Georgi Avramchev of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, commented on Zambia’s accession: "This is good news, and I encourage all States parties to renew their efforts on universalization. We are aware that several States have begun ratification procedures, and I believe that with continued concerted action, we should be able to secure additional ratifications this year." Four States joined the Convention in 2007: Gabon, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, and Trinidad and Tobago. Fifteen States have signed but not yet ratified the treaty, and a further 20 remain outside of the regime.

Ambassador Avramchev will chair the BWC Meeting of Experts, to be held in Geneva from 18 to 22 August 2008 and the BWC Meeting of State Parties, to be held from 1 to 5 December 2008. The Meetings will discuss national, regional and international measures to improve biosafety and biosecurity, including laboratory safety and security of pathogens and toxins; and 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 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, commonly known as the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons, and is a key element in the international community’s efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The BWC opened for signature in 1972, entered into force in 1975, and is the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons.

For further information, please contact:

Richard Lennane
Head, BWC Implementation Support Unit
Tel: +41 (0)22 917 2230
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 0483
E-mail: bwc@unog.ch
URL: www.unog.ch/bwc



For use of the information media; not an official record

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