The Relevance of the Biological Weapons Convention to Southeast Asia - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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The Relevance of the Biological Weapons Convention to Southeast Asia - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jun 10, 2023 312 likes •519 views

Preparing for the Deliberate Use of Biological Weapons: The Relevance of the Biological Weapons Convention to Southeast Asia Regional Workshop for ASEAN States Parties to the BWC On Preparedness to Respond to the Deliberate Use of Biological

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Preparing for the Deliberate Use of Biological Weapons: The Relevance of the Biological Weapons Convention to Southeast Asia

Regional Workshop for ASEAN States Parties to the BWC On Preparedness to Respond to the Deliberate Use of Biological Weapons UNESCAP 6 – 7 June 2019, Bangkok, Thailand

  • Dr. Alex Lampalzer

Deputy Chief, BWC Implementation Support Unit United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs

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WEF Global Risks Report 2019

“The world is badly under-prepared for even modest biological threats. We are vulnerable to potentially huge impacts on individual lives, societal well-being, economic activity and national security. Revolutionary new biotechnologies promise miraculous advances, but they also create daunting challenges of oversight and control.”

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The Biological Weapons Convention in a Nutshell

prohibits development, production, stockpiling, acquisition, retention or transfer of BWs

  • opened for signature on 10/04/72,

EiF on 26/03/75

  • First multilateral disarmament

treaty banning an entire category

  • f WMD
  • Non-discriminatory in nature
  • Unlimited duration and open to any

state

  • No verification regime; no own,

separate int. organization

  • Intersessional Work Programmes,

decisions by consensus 182 States Parties 5 Signatories 10 States not party

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Article I Never under any circumstances to acquire or retain biological weapons Article II To destroy or divert to peaceful purposes biological weapons and associated resources prior to joining Article III Not to transfer, or in any way assist, encourage or induce anyone else to acquire or retain biological weapons Article IV To take any national measures necessary to implement the provisions of the BWC domestically Article V To consult bilaterally and multilaterally to solve any problems with the implementation of the BWC Article VI To request the UN Security Council to investigate alleged breaches of the BWC and to comply with its subsequent decisions Article VII To assist States which have been exposed to danger as a result of a violation of the BWC Article X To do all of the above in a way that encourages the peaceful uses

  • f biological science and technology
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  • Provides an unequivocal norm against biological weapons
  • Sole multilateral forum for dialogue concerning all issues

pertaining to BWs in a holistic manner

  • Facilitates assistance and cooperation at the bi- and

multilateral level and helps building capacity

  • Supports the promotion of peaceful uses of biological S&T
  • Offers a mechanism for consultation and cooperation in solving

any problems

  • Builds transparency through Confidence Building Measures

What is the relevance of the BWC?

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Continued Political Support for the BWC

87 102 118 132 146 155 165 178 40 58 69 65 68 78 93 114 53 63 78 77 94 103 103 124 50 100 150 200 RC1 1980 RC2 1986 RC3 1991 RC4 1996 RC5 2001/02 RC6 2006 RC7 2011 RC8 2016 SPs Participating SPs PrepCom Participating SPs RevCon 1 4 1 2 5 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

17 new States Parties since 2012

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Resources to facilitate Treaty implementation

Weapon Category Nuclear Biological Chemical

Treaty (Status) NPT CTBT BWC CWC States Parties to the Treaty 191 168 182 193 Verification     Organisation IAEA CTBTO

  • OPCW

Budget (Mio., 2019) € 371.8 $ 70,9 € 49,8 $1,52 € 69,7 Personnel (approx.) 2,560 275 3 462

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444 61 7,708 46 4,925 153 2,524 6,837 4,451 887 397.8 1,550.24 801.09 892.59 510.51 136.8 2,261.57 709.1 461.46 1,682.59

Assessed Contribution (USD) Arrears (USD)

Measures taken in 2018 to address financial predictability and sustainability:

Status as at 30/05/2019:

  • Assessed contributions: $1,354,110 (89.1%)
  • BWC Working Capital Fund: $166,594 (21,9% of target level)

Considerable interest to strengthen preparedness, implementation and cooperation/assistance - vol. contributions

  • EU-Council Decision 2019/97, Global Partnership, FR, JPN, NOR

BWC Finances - $ 1,519,800

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  • No international verification regime
  • No separate international organization
  • States Parties obliged to translate the commitments found

in the Convention into effective national action

  • Intersessional work programmes between the Review

Conferences that include annual Meetings of Experts and Meetings of States Parties

  • Highest Organ: Review Conference
  • Chair 2019 Meeting of States Parties:
  • Amb. Yann Hwang (France)
  • Three regional groups:
  • Eastern European Group (Poland)
  • NAM (Venezuela)
  • Western Group (Australia)
  • Three Depositaries
  • Budget: $1,519,800 for 2019

How does the BWC work?

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2018-2020 Intersessional Programme

5 Meetings of Experts (29 July - 8 August 2019) Annual Meeting of States Parties (3 - 6 December 2019)

MX Topic Chair

1 (2d) Cooperation and assistance, with a particular focus on strengthening cooperation and assistance under Article X

  • V. Dolidze, Georgia (TBC)

2 (2d) Review of developments in the field of science and technology related to the Convention

  • Y. Nikolaichik, Belarus

3 (1d) Strengthening national implementation

  • M. Reddiar, South Africa

4 (2d) Assistance, response and preparedness

  • U. Jadoon, Pakistan

5 (1d) Institutional strengthening of the Convention

  • L. Masmejean,

Switzerland

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  • Article IV: take any natl. measures

necessary to prohibit and prevent the development, production, stockpiling, acquisition, or retention of agents, toxins, weapons, equipment and means of delivery specified in Art. I of the BWC

  • National implementation requires

coordination and close cooperation among a number of government departments (whole of government approach)

  • Important role of industry,

academia/universities and civil society

  • National Contact Points established

under the BWC

How is the BWC implemented?

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Status Quo

BWC National Contact Points ASEAN Member States

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Confidence Building Measures

 CBM A:

  • Part 1: research centres and laboratories
  • Part 2: Natl. biological defence R&D

programmes

 CBM B: Info on outbreaks of infectious diseases and similar occurrences, that seem to deviate from the normal pattern  CBM C: Encouragement of publication of results and promotion of use of knowledge  CBM E: legislation, regulations and other measures  CBM F: past activities in offensive and/or defensive biological research and development programmes  CBM G: vaccine production facilities

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Status Quo

BWC Confidence Building Measures – ASEAN MSs

3 4 1 11 2 4 8 9 2 4 6 8 10 12

BWC Confidence Building Measures – SE Asia

CBM Report submitted in 2019 Previous submissions

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BWC Cooperation & Assistance Database

Australia Group

61 active offers made by ten SPs and

  • ne group of SPs
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BWC Cooperation & Assistance Database

43 active requests from 12 SPs

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EU Council Decision 2019/97 (CFSP) in support of the BWC

1. Support for BWC universalization 2. Capacity development in support of BWC implementation 3. Fostering biosecurity networks in the Global South 4. Support for the ISP and 9th RevCon 2021 5. Preparedness to prevent and respond to BW attacks 6. Enabling tools for outreach, education and engagement

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Opportunities to strengthen preparedness and response capacities in in SE-Asia (I)

Regional BWC Workshop 3: Assistance and Cooperation

Manila, Philippines Early 2020 3 natl. experts/10 ASEAN MSs

Regional BWC Workshop 2: Response

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1-2 October 2019 3 natl. experts/10 ASEAN MSs

Regional BWC Workshop 1: Preparedness

Bangkok, Thailand 6-7 June 2019 3 natl. experts/10 ASEAN MSs

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

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Workshop for BWC National Contact Points (NCPs)

  • Roles and responsibilities of NCPs
  • Nat’l. implementation framework including BWC related

legislation

  • Preparation of Confidence Building Measures
  • Opportunities for regional cooperation and assistance
  • Sharing of good practices & info exchange

Target group of participants

  • BWC NCPs in SE-Asia
  • Relevant reg. and int. organizations
  • Academia, NGOs
  • Biosafety/Biosecurity Associations in the region

Workshop planned to be held in end Oct/early Nov 2019 in Viet Nam

Upcoming Opportunities to advance

  • natl. implementation in SE-Asia (II)
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Political interest by SE-Asian SPs in the BWC

  • Regular nomination of office holders from SE-Asia on behalf
  • f Non-Aligned Movement
  • Vast majority of SE-Asian SPs regularly attend the BWC

Meetings

Develop policy positions and share good practices

  • Consider national/reg. policy statements (Joint ASEAN

statement MSP 2017)

  • Submit Working Paper(s)
  • Organize side events/showcase accomplishments/actions

taken

ASEAN Member States and the BWC

1 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 2 3 4 Participation in 2017-2018 BWC Meetings