Biosecurity

BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION PREPARATORY MEETING RE-OPENS IN GENEVA

States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) resumed the Preparatory Committee of the Eighth Review Conference in Geneva Monday. The Preparatory Committee began its work from 26 to 27 April and now resumes for a further five days. The Review Conference itself will take place in Geneva from 7 to 25 November.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction, as the BWC is formally known, effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, retention, stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons and is a key element in the international community’s efforts to address the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. According to its 175 States Parties, biological weapons are “repugnant to the conscience of mankind”.