Regional Preparatory Meetings for the Ninth Review Conference

This project focuses on mobilizing States Parties of the Biological Weapons Convention towards active participation in the Ninth Review Conference scheduled from 28 November to 16 December 2022 and by offering opportunities to reflect on and discuss key topics of the 2018-2020 inter-sessional programme.

In the run-up to the Review Conference, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) organized four regional preparatory meetings. The main objective of the meetings was to support preparations for the Ninth Review Conference with a view to reaching a successful outcome. As such, the meetings aimed to promote common understandings among BWC States Parties through interaction and collaboration among the participants, which could contribute to decisions at the Review Conference to strengthen the Convention. The meetings also aimed at facilitating the preparations of the Italian Presidency for the Ninth Review Conference.

The meetings brought together governmental officials and experts from BWC States Parties, the European Union, the United Nations and other international organizations and civil society including academia to discuss major themes to be addressed at the Review Conference. Representatives of the Italian Presidency of the Ninth Review Conference also participated.

Similar support was provided to previous BWC Review Conferences and intersessional programmes under the preceding EU Joint Action 2009-2011 and EU Council Decision 2016-2019.

Support to the Sponsorship Programme

This project also supports the sponsorship programme that enables experts from developing countries to participate in the BWC intersessional meetings and in the Ninth Review Conference in Geneva.

The Sponsorship Programme was established by the Seventh Review Conference in 2011 and renewed by the Eighth Review Conference in 2016, in order to support and increase the participation of developing States Parties in BWC meetings. The Seventh Review Conference affirmed that “Priority for sponsorship will be given to those States Parties which have previously not participated in the meetings, or have been unable to regularly send experts from capital.” Sponsorship may also be provided, depending on the availability of resources, to enhance participation of States not party in order to promote universalization of the Convention. The 2017 Meeting of States Parties added that “Maximum use would be made of the Sponsorship Programme” during the 2018-2020 intersessional programme.