Disarmament in Review
The Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic co-hosted the Regional Workshop on Implementing the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and Promoting Biosafety and Biosecurity in Southeast Asia from 23 to 25 October 2024 in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China.
The workshop was supported by the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through the BWC Implementation Support Unit (ISU) and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD). Furthermore, the Sun Yat-Sen University in Shenzhen supported the organization of the event.
More than 70 participants from all ten Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its observer Timor Leste, as well as experts from 13 different Chinese institutions attended the event. Additionally, representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) participated in the workshop.
Workshop participants exchanged information and shared best practices on national approaches to implementing the BWC, including the preparation of Confidence Building Measures under the Convention. The workshop also promoted integrated approaches to enhancing biosafety and biosecurity. Additionally, experts discussed potential avenues for strengthening regional cooperation and assistance in the field of biosafety and biosecurity.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs thanked the governments of the People’s Republic of China and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for their longstanding support to the Convention and underlined that initiatives like this workshop are crucial to strengthening the global norm against the deliberate use of disease and contribute to peace and security.
Mr. SUN Xiaobo, Director General of the Department of Arms Control, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that “through this workshop, we hope to strengthen dialogue, exchanges and practical cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in the field of biosafety and biosecurity, as part of the efforts to jointly build a China-ASEAN community with a shared future. We also wish to jointly strengthen global biosafety and biosecurity governance, balancing development and security, to effectively manage biosecurity risks, and at the same time to ensure that biotechnology can broadly benefit developing countries.”
Mr. Daovy VONGXAY, Ambassador and Permanent Representative-Designate of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to the United Nations Office and International Organizations in Geneva highlighted the significance of the recently adopted ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Strengthening Biosafety and Biosecurity in the region. In the Declaration, the leaders commit, inter alia, to “establish the ASEAN Biosafety and Biosecurity Network to enhance functions, roles, and responsibilities in facilitating knowledge sharing, coordination, and cooperation among ASEAN Member States, partners and relevant stakeholders”.
The workshop’s format enabled representatives from each of the 12 participating States to present comprehensive overviews of their national measures to implement the BWC, as well as their approaches to addressing biosafety and biosecurity challenges in the region. Additionally, as part of the workshop programme, Chinese institutions shared their scientific and technological expertise with participants through site visits to the School of Public Health at Sun Yat-Sen University and Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co., Ltd., a major producer of human vaccines.
Participants noted the significant benefit of convening stakeholders from the diplomatic, security and health sectors, facilitating a multisectoral dialogue. Experts also valued the presence of representatives from various international organizations covering the human, plant and animal health sectors, which enriched the discussions in line with the One Health approach. At the conclusion of the workshop, the Co-Chairs provided a summary of the proceedings and expressed their intention to hold such regional workshops regularly to further strengthen the ASEAN – China Comprehensive Partnership.
Financial support for the workshop was provided by the Government of the People’s Republic of China. Additional information on the BWC is available here.
