Representatives from across different national agencies, including governmental officials and technical experts, from Brunei Darussalam convened in Bandar Seri Begawan for a workshop focused on the national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The workshop was organized by the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit (BWC ISU) in close collaboration with the Government of Brunei Darussalam to raise awareness of the BWC and to support preparations of the country’s next Confidence-Building Measure (CBM) report. The workshop was made possible with generous financial support from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Haji Ali Rahim bin Abdul Rahman, Head of Secretariat of the CBRNE National Committee with Brunei Darussalam, delivered opening remarks to participants and highlighted the BWC as a cornerstone of international security. He noted the establishment of the National Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNe) Committee under the National Security Committee in 2024 as a significant step in strengthening the country's capabilities and frameworks in supporting the implementation of the BWC.
Ann Herrigan, Deputy High Commissioner at the British High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan, noted that activities to support regional and international capabilities were essential for strengthening the implementation of the BWC in her remarks to the event. She also noted the activities as contributing to the priorities of the United Kingdom in supporting the BWC, particularly on advancing preparedness to approach emerging opportunities and risks associated with emerging technologies and enhancing cooperation between States Parties.
Alex Lampalzer, Deputy of the BWC ISU, commended Brunei for its progress made in implementing the Convention. He continued that the workshop would provide a valuable platform to build upon this momentum by raising awareness and further strengthening national capacities.
Latest Updates
Participants heard an introduction into the BWC, including ongoing efforts towards strengthening the Convention and key provisions, that set the scene for the two-day workshop. Mely Caballero-Anthony, Professor of International Relations at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Singapore, shared information on the biosecurity landscape from a regional perspective based on information captured in a RSIS publication from 2025. An update on Brunei’s progress since appointing a National Contact Point in 2023 was shared, including the endorsement of a National Action Plan in 2024 and compilation of key legislation. Ongoing national priorities were also highlighted, such as increased discussion under the national Bio-Safety and Bio-Security Working Committee and enhanced awareness-raising with relevant agencies in Brunei on the BWC, which the workshop would aim to support.
Participants then heard examples of effective practices from other States Parties, including from the Netherlands by Rik Bleijs, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Head of the Biosecurity Office, and Singapore by Joel Ang, Assistant Director (International Security and Emerging Technologies), Ministry of Defence.
To conclude day one, participants attended a site visit to the Veterinary Laboratory Services, which included briefings and tours of the different facilities on site, enabling representatives to observe biosecurity in practice.
The second day of the workshop began with an introductory presentation from the BWC ISU on the importance and benefits of CBMs, before Rik Bleijs, RIVM, The Netherlands and Joel Ang, Singapore, shared practical examples from their national context in relation to report preparation. Participants then applied their learning in a table-top exercise facilitated by the BWC ISU, that focused on the preparation of the next CBM report by Brunei Darussalam. Representatives discussed the process in completing the different CBM forms by using a fictional scenario, exploring what should be included, and which agencies could contribute with information to the report.
Opportunities for assistance at the bilateral, regional, and international level were presented by experts from related regional and international organizations. Marykate Monaghan, Associate Political Affairs Officer with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) shared examples of capacity-building activities undertaken by UNODA to support different stakeholders at the appropriate level, which range from technical trainings, youth engagement initiatives and online resources. Joel Ang, Singapore, and Rik Bleijs, the Netherlands, provided examples of assistance available to support interested States Parties at the bilateral and regional level.
A series of presentations on international efforts focused on strengthening capacity-building were delivered by Alex Hamilton, EU CBRN COE, Regional Secretariat Southeast Asia, Elodie Liobard, Criminal Intelligence Analyst, INTERPOL and Mariana Ulinici, Researcher with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, with a variety of different avenues for cooperation highlighted.
The workshop facilitated discussion on the implementation of the BWC at the national level, raising awareness on the different roles and responsibilities of stakeholders as related to their organizations, particularly in relation to CBM preparation. UNODA will continue to support States Parties in the full and effective implementation of the Convention.
Further information on the BWC is available here.