News from 2018

• Universalization workshop for the Pacific Regionin Nadi, Fiji – On 12 and 13 December 2018, The Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit (BWC ISU), with the financial support from Australia, and the Government of Fiji co-organized a two-day universalisation workshop for the Pacific Region.
• 2018 MSP final report – Following the conclusion of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties last week, an “advance version” of its final report is now available. The “advance version” is only in English and does not include all the annexes. The final version will be available in a few weeks in all six official UN languages and with all annexes.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 30 November 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• BWC Seminar – On 20 November the BWC ISU organized a workshop on “The Importance of Disease Surveillance and Alert Mechanisms: Lessons for the BWC”, which was hosted by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). The seminar was funded through a voluntary contribution by the Government of Japan to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) for implementation of a project on “Strengthening National, Sub-Regional, and International Capacities to Prepare for and Respond to Deliberate Use of Biological Weapons”. More than 50 participants attended the event. The seminar report including the presentations can be accessed here.
• MSP Chairman’s letter on MSP duration – On 8 November, the Chairman of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties, Mr. Ljupčo Jivan Gjorgjinski of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, wrote a letter to all States Parties informing them that the duration of the MSP would be reduced from four to three days due to a lack of funding. A draft revised version of the provisional programme of work was attached to the letter.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 31 October 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• First Annual Global Forum on Scientific Advances Important to the BWC – On 3 December, immediately prior to the opening of the Meeting of States Parties on 4 December, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security will organize the “First Annual Global Forum on Scientific Advances Important to the BWC”. The event will feature expert panel and speaker discussions on current and future biological capabilities relevant to the BWC, including potential for misuse and opportunities to boost efforts to prevent biological weapons development and strengthen non-proliferation norms. The event will be open to all participants in the MSP. More information and details about registration are available here.
• MSP arrangements and Sponsorship Programme – On 15 October, the Chief of the Implementation Support Unit, Mr. Daniel Feakes, wrote a letter to all States Parties informing them of the practical arrangements for the Meeting of States Parties scheduled for 4-7 December. Attached to the letter was an aide-memoire with detailed information. The letter also informs States Parties about the launch of the Sponsorship Programme to support participation in the MSP by experts from developing countries.
• Letter from the Chairman about MSP preparations – On 11 October, the Chairman of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties, Mr. Ljupčo Jivan Gjorgjinski of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, wrote a letter to all States Parties setting out his plans for the MSP scheduled to take place from 4 to 7 December. Attached to the letter are draft versions of the provisional agenda and the provisional programme of work of the MSP.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 30 September 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• UK Biological Security Strategy published – The Strategy draws together for the first time the work that takes place across the UK Government to protect the UK and its interests from significant biological risks, no matter how these occur and no matter who or what they affect. The strategy sets out the nature of the biological risks and the opportunities the UK faces, looks at how this landscape is continuing to evolve, and explains what the UK response is to these challenges.
• BWC Newsletter (October 2018) issued – On 1 October, the ISU published the latest version of the BWC Newsletter covering news and events since March 2018.
• MSP Chair’s letter regarding MSP finances – On 26 September, the Chairman of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties, Mr. Ljupčo Jivan Gjorgjinski of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, wrote a letter to all States Parties telling them that he had been informed by UNODA that “there are currently not sufficient funds for the Meeting of States Parties to go ahead as planned in December.”
• The Central African Republic ratifies the BWC – The United States of America informed the ISU that the Central African Republic deposited its instrument of ratification to the BWC in Washington, DC on 25 September 2018. As of that date, the Central African Republic is therefore the 182nd State Party to the Convention.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 31 August 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• 2019 scale of assessments – The Financial Resources Management Service (FRMS) of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided the preliminary assessment per State Party for contributions to the BWC budget for the year 2019. Formal invoices for 2019 are being sent to all BWC States Parties in the coming days. States Parties in a position to do so are requested to proceed with the payment of their assessed contributions for 2019 as soon as the assessment notices have been received. FRMS has also provided information on the closing of the 2017 financial accounts.
• Letter from the Chair of MX2 – On 7 August, the Chair of MX2 on Review of Developments in the Field of Science and Technology Related to the Convention, Mr Pedro Liuz Dalcero of Brazil, sent a letter to all States Parties setting out his thoughts about the conduct of MX2 which will meet from 9-10 August. Annexed to the letter was an annotated programme of work for MX2.
• ISU letter regarding the appointment of the Chair of MX2 – On 7 August, the Implementation Support Unit sent a letter to all BWC States Parties informing them of the appointment of Mr Pedro Luiz Dalcero of Brazil as the Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Review of Developments in the Field of Science and Technology Related to the Convention.
• Letter from the MSP Chair on BWC financial issues – On 6 August, the Chair of the Meeting of States Parties, Mr. Ljupčo Jivan Gjorgjinski of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, wrote a letter to all States Parties seeking proposals for measures to address the financial predictability and sustainability of the BWC.
• Letter from the Chair of MX3 – On 3 August, the Chair of MX3 on Strengthening National Implementation, Ambassador Julio Herráiz España of Spain, sent a letter to all States Parties setting out his thoughts about the conduct of MX3 which will meet on 13 August. Annexed to the letter was an annotated programme of work for MX3.
• ISU Letter regarding nomination of Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Science and Technology (MX2) – On 3 August, the Implementation Support Unit sent a letter to all BWC States Parties informing them of the nomination of the Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Review of Developments in the Field of Science and Technology Related to the Convention.
• Letters from the Chairs of MX4 and MX5 – On 2 August, the Chair of MX4, Mr Daniel Nord of Sweden, and the Chair of MX5, Mr Otakar Gorgol of the Czech Republic, both sent letters to all States Parties setting out their thoughts about the conduct of MX and MX5 which will meet from 14-15 August and on 16 August respectively. Annexed to the letters were annotated programmes of work for both Meetings. The letters are available here – MX4 and MX5.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 31 July 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• Letter from the Chair of MX1 – On 31 July, the Chair of MX1 on Cooperation and Assistance, Ambassador Maria Teresa Almojuela of the Philippines, sent a letter to all States Parties setting out her thoughts about the conduct of MX1 which will meet from 7 to 8 August. Annexed to the letter was an annotated programme of work for MX1.
• ISU letter regarding nominations of Vice-Chairs of the MSP – On 30 July, the ISU sent a letter to States Parties informing them of the situation regarding the nomination of Vice-Chairs for the 2018 Meeting of States Parties.
• Niue accedes to the BWC – on 28 July, the United States of America informed the ISU that Niue deposited its instrument of accession to the BWC in Washington, DC on 14 June 2018. As of that date, Niue is therefore the 181st State Party to the Convention. A copy of the related press release is available here.
• Peer review compliance exercise – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has extended an invitation to all States Parties for participation in a peer review compliance exercise in Tbilisi, Georgia from 14 to 15 November 2018. The activity will take place at the Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 14 to 15 November 2018
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 30 June 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• Practical arrangements for the 2018 Meetings of Experts – On 25 June, the Implementation Support Unit sent an information letter to BWC States Parties and Signatory States on the practical arrangements for the Meetings of Experts, which will be held at the Palais des Nations from 7 to 16 August 2018. An Aide-Mémoire was attached to the letter. In addition, online registration for the Meetings of Experts is now open for those participants without access badges to the UN in Geneva.
• Norway/ISU workshop on Article X – On 22 June, the Government of Norway and the Implementation Support Unit co-organized an international workshop on cooperation and assistance under Article X of the Biological Weapons Convention.
• Joint letter from MSP and MX Chairs – On 14 June, the MSP Chair and the appointed MX Chairs wrote a joint letter to States Parties outlining their approach to the preparations for and conduct of the Meetings of Experts from 7 to 16 August.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 31 May 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• Norway/ISU workshop on Article X – On 22 June, the Government of Norway and the Implementation Support Unit will co-organize an international workshop on cooperation and assistance under Article X of the Biological Weapons Convention. More information is available in the invitation letter which was sent on 22 May.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 30 April 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• ISU letters regarding nominations of Chairs for MX3, MX4 and MX5 – On 3 May, the Implementation Support Unit sent a letter to all BWC States Parties informing them of the appointment of Ambassador Julio Herráiz España of Spain as the Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Strengthening National Implementation. The ISU also sent a second letter informing States Parties of the nominations by the Western Group and the Eastern European Group of the Chairs for the Meeting of Experts on Assistance, Preparedness and Response (MX4) and the Meeting of Experts on Institutional Strengthening of the Convention (MX5).
• Letter from the Chairman – On 2 May, the Chairman of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties, Mr. Ljupčo Jivan Gjorgjinski of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, wrote to all BWC States Parties and Signatory States.
• Sponsorship Programme for the 2018 Meetings of Experts is open – On 25 April, the Implementation Support Unit sent a letter to all States Parties, Signatory States and non-Signatory States informing them that applications for the BWC Sponsorship Programme can now be submitted for the Meetings of Experts in August. The application form are available. The application deadline is 31 May 2018.
• ISU Letter regarding nomination of Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Strengthening National Implementation (MX3) – On 24 April, the Implementation Support Unit sent a letter to all BWC States Parties informing them of the nomination of the Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Strengthening National Implementation.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as at 31 March 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• BWC Newsletter March/2018 – The BWC Implementation Support Unit has prepared a new issue of the BWC Newsletter in line with its mandate to facilitate communication among States Parties and to serve as a focal point for the sharing of information related to the BWC. Comments and feedback are welcome and should be sent to bwc@unog.ch.
• ISU sends out CBM reminder letter – On 3 March, the ISU sent a reminder letter to States Parties that the deadline for the submission of CBMs covering calendar year 2017 is 15 April 2018.
• Status of contributions – The Financial Resources Management Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has provided a summary of the financial contributions to the four disarmament conventions, as of 28 February 2018. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Cooperation and Assistance (MX1) confirmed – On 22 February, Ambassador Maria Teresa T. Almojuela of the Philippines was formally confirmed as Chairperson of the 2018 BWC Meeting of Experts on Cooperation and Assistance.
• Letter from the Chairman – On 20 February, the Chairman of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties, Mr. Ljupčo Jivan Gjorgjinski of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, wrote to all BWC States Parties and Signatory States.
• ISU Letter regarding nomination of Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Cooperation and Assistance (MX1) – On 14 February, the Implementation Support Unit sent a letter to all BWC States Parties informing them of the nomination of the Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of Experts on Cooperation and Assistance.
• Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties confirmed – On 1 February, Mr. Ljupco Gjorgjinski, Chargé d’affaires of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, was formally confirmed as Chairperson of the 2018 BWC Meeting of States Parties.
• ISU Letter regarding nomination of Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties to the BWC – On 24 January, the Implementation Support Unit sent a letter to all BWC States Parties and Signatory States informing them on the nomination of the Chairperson of the 2018 Meeting of States Parties to the BWC.