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Regional workshop on universalization and effective implementation of the biological weapons convention in Western Africa.
As part of the project entitled "Supporting the universalization and effective implementation of the
Convention in Africa", the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and its
Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and its United Nations Regional Center for Peace and
Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) are organizing a sub-regional workshop on the banning of biological weapons in Africa from October 11 to 13 at the Hôtel Sarakawa in Lomé (Togo).
a sub-regional workshop on the universalization and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention
Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in West Africa.
The workshop, made possible with financial support from the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and
and related materials, will bring together a number of international experts, including those from
the UNODA, the African Union's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
as well as participants from the fifteen (15) States of the Economic Community of West
States (ECOWAS).
The aim of the event is: (i) to inform participating States about the project and gather their
comments on the needs and priorities that could be addressed by the project to improve
implementation of the Convention at national and regional levels; (ii) provide an overview of the BWC and
the BWC and related implementation requirements, including national implementing legislation
confidence-building measures, and the roles and responsibilities of national contact points;
(iii) give participants the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on the above topics; and, (iv)
to draw up a work plan with each participating State to strengthen the implementation of the BWC
or promote its universalization at national level.
The "Supporting the universalization and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons
prohibition of biological weapons in Africa", funded by the Global Partnership against the
Proliferation of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction aims to increase the number of States Parties to the Convention from 2022 to
2026 the number of States Parties to the BWC and to improve its implementation in the African region.
four (04) axes: (i) promoting the universalization of the Convention in Africa; (ii) providing assistance for the
assistance in the drafting of BWC implementing legislation; (iii) supporting the preparation
and submission of confidence-building measures; and (iv) facilitate the creation or designation of national
contact points (NCPs).
TThe Biological Weapons Convention, adopted on April 10 1972 and in force since
March 26, 1975, was the first multilateral disarmament treaty to ban an entire category of weapons
of mass destruction. With 185 States parties, the BWC established an unequivocal norm against biological
biological weapons, while facilitating assistance, international cooperation and capacity-building in fields
in areas such as biological science and technology, and preparedness and response to
and response to deliberate biological threats.
Related video could be found here: https://x.com/odaunrec/status/1712514754827129026?s=20
For further information, please contact
United Nations Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), Tel: (+228) 22 53 50 00
E-mail:
Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit (CIAB ISU)
E-mail
