News from 2020

• Postponement of the BWC 2020 Meetings of Experts (MXs) – Following consultations with BWC States Parties and a silence procedure, the Meetings of Experts are postponed to a date not earlier than April 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chairperson’s letter related to the postponement of the Meetings of Experts is available here.
• Closing of the 2019 BWC accounts – detailed information on the closing of the 2019 BWC accounts has been prepared by UNOG Financial Resources Management Service.
• Chairperson for MX5 – The Implementation Support Unit wrote a letter to all States Parties on 13 August informing them that the Chairperson of the 2020 Meeting of Experts on Institutional Strengthening of the Convention (MX5) has been confirmed by States Parties. Ms. Grisselle del Carmen Rodriguez Ramirez of Panama was nominated as Chair of MX5 by the Group of the Non-Aligned Movement and Other States.
• Revised schedule of meetings – Ambassador Dr. Cleopa Kilonzo Mailu of Kenya, Chairperson of the 2020 Meeting of States Parties, informed all States Parties on 28 July in a letter about the adoption of the revised schedule of meetings.
• 2020 BWC MSP Chair writes to States Parties – On 18 June, the Chairperson of the 2020 BWC Meeting of States Parties, Ambassador Dr. Cleopa Kilonzo Mailu of Kenya, wrote a letter to all States Parties appraising them on issues pertinent to his Chairmanship.
• New Chairperson of the 2020 MSP – The Implementation Support Unit wrote a letter to all States Parties on 11 June informing them that Ambassador Dr. Cleopa Kilonzo Mailu of Kenya was appointed as Chairperson of the 2020 Meeting of States Parties.
• Chairperson of the 2020 MSP – The Implementation Support Unit wrote a letter to all States Parties on 28 April informing them that Ambassador Azeez of Sri Lanka will no longer be able to serve as Chairperson of the 2020 Meeting of States Parties.
• 45th anniversary of the BWC – 26 March 2020 marks the 45th anniversary of the entry into force of the Biological Weapons Convention. The occasion was marked by a message from the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the launch of the short video above. In addition, statements and other communications were issued by India, the Russian Federation (in Russian and English) and the United States of America, as well as the European Union.
• 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 29 February 2020. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• 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 January 2020. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.
• Chairs for MX1 and MX2 – The Chairpersons of the 2020 Meeting of Experts on Cooperation and Assistance, with a Particular Focus on Strengthening Cooperation and Assistance under Article X (MX1) and the Meeting of Experts on Review of Developments in the Field of Science and Technology Related to the Convention (MX2) have been confirmed by States Parties. Mr. Kimmo Laukkanen of Finland and Mr. Kazuhiro Nakai of Japan were nominated as Chairs of MX1 and MX2 respectively by the Western Group. Nominations for the Chairpersons of the other three Meetings of Experts are still pending.
• 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 1 January 2020. Detailed information pertaining to the contributions to the BWC is contained in Annex II of the document.