Overview

The 2018 Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention was chaired by Mr. Ljupčo Jivan Gjorgjinski of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Meeting of States Parties took place in Room XVIII on 4 and 5 December and in Room XVII on 7 December 2018 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. There were no formal sessions of the Meeting of States Parties on 6 December.

The 2018-2020 intersessional programme is intended to discuss, and promote common understanding and effective action on those issues identified for inclusion in the intersessional programme. The work in the intersessional period is guided by the aim of strengthening the implementation of all articles of the Convention in order to better respond to current challenges.

The 2018 Meeting of States Parties considered the factual reports of the Meetings of Experts which took place in August 2018, as well as a report from the Chair on universalization activities and the annual report of the Implementation Support Unit. It is also responsible for managing the intersessional programme, including taking necessary measures with respect to budgetary and financial matters by consensus with a view to ensuring the proper implementation of the intersessional programme. The Meeting of States Parties also approved the office-holders for the 2019 MSP and the dates for the BWC meetings to take place in 2019.

Rules of Procedure

All meetings will be subject mutatis mutandis to the rules of procedure of the Eighth Review Conference.

BWC/CONF.VIII/2 - Draft Rules of Procedures adopted at the Eighth Review Conference
(available in all six official UN languages)

Side Events

Monday 3 December

9:00-10:00

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

Global Forum on Scientific Advances Important to the BWC

Room XXIV

More details available at http://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/events/2018-global-forum/index.html

Tuesday 4 December

13:00-15:00

Germany

Transparency Initiatives: Strengthening Cooperation, Capacities and Confidence in Compliance

Room XVIII

Speakers:

13:00-15:00

UNOCT, UNICRI, Interpol

"Securing the present, protecting the future": Understanding, preventing and addressing the risk of misuse of CBRN science and technology by terrorist groups and other non-State actors

Room XXIV

Speakers:

Documents:
Concept note
Flyer

Wednesday 5 December

09:00-10:00

InterAcademy Partnership, U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and Croatian Society for Biosafety and Biosecurity

Governance of Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences: Advancing Global Consensus on Research Oversight

Room XVIII

Chair: Alemka Markotić, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases Zagreb, Catholic University of Croatia, and University of Rijeka

Speakers:

Link: www.nap.edu/25154

13:00-15:00

European Union

EU CD in support of the BWC

Room XVIII

Speakers:

  • Ms Anne Kemppainen, Head of Political Section for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
    EU Delegation to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva
  • Ms Anja Kaspersen, Director – Geneva Branch
    United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs
  • Mr Joel ESPECA
    Director of International Organisations
    Ministry of External Affairs of Haiti
  • Ms Irma MAKALINAO
    Professor and Special Assistant to the Dean
    University of the Philippines College of Medicine
  • Ms Kathryn THAM BEE LIN
    Research Officer
    Science and Technology Research Institute for Defence (STRIDE)
    Ministry of Defence of Malaysia
  • Mr Emil KAZAKOV
    International Relations Officer
    Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Export Control
    European External Action Service

13:00-15:00

Hamburg University

Biorisk Assessment: Integrated Approaches for Understanding Complex Threats

Room XXIV

Speakers:

  • Dr. Gunnar Jeremais
  • Jan Opper
  • Dr. Mirko Himmel
  • Hares Sarwary
  • Helge Martin

Thursday 6 December

09:00-10:00, with refreshments from 08:45

United Kingdom and Biosecure

Next Generation Biosecurity: Evolving biosecurity educationm & engaging scientists

Room XXIV

Speakers:

13:00-15:00

Germany

Strengthening the UNSGM: From Trusted Laboratories to Trained Experts

Room XVII

Speakers:

13:00-15:00

Russian Federation

Centenary of Russia's Anti-plague Institute "Microbe": Lessons learned and opportunities for utilising mobile biomedical units. Presentation of UK-Russia working paper on Article VII.

Room XXIV

Moderator: Vladimir Ladanov, Senior Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation

Speakers:

  • Dr. Yulia Demina, Deputy Head, Epidemiological Surveillance, Department,Rospotrebnadzor/Health Protection Agency, Russian Federation
  • Dr. John R. Walker, Head, Arms Control and Disarmament Research Unit, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom
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