Dealing with Dealing with Dealing with Dealing with

deliberate diseasedeliberate diseasedeliberate diseasedeliberate disease

Dealing with Dealing with Dealing with Dealing with

deliberate diseasedeliberate diseasedeliberate diseasedeliberate disease

Piers Millett

Biological Weapons Convention

Implementation Support Unit

“We must look at [the BWC] as part of an

interlinked array of tools, designed to deal

with an interlinked array of problems”

UN Secretary General, 2006

Natural

disease

outbreak

Deliberate

use of BW

Unintended

consequencesAccidents

Vandalism

/ sabotageNegligence

Natural

disease

outbreak

Deliberate

use of BW

Unintended

consequencesAccidents

Vandalism

/ sabotageNegligence

“There is a large potential area of overlap… for global

public health the engagement by the security sector is a

very welcome development, however… global public

health cannot be perceived as losing its traditional focus”

ADG Fukuda, World Health Organization, 2010

IFBAIFBAIFBAIFBA

Robust Health Infrastructure

Enhanced Security Capacity

Natural

disease

outbreak

Deliberate

use of BW

Unintended

consequencesAccidents

Vandalism

/ sabotageNegligence

Improved Biosafety

Improved Biosafety

“…to manage the full spectrum of

biological risks… you need a

cohesive, coordinated network of

activities and resources. Such a

network will help to ensure that

biological science and technology

can be safely and securely

developed for the benefit of all.”Ban Ki Moon - 2008

…to ensuring biology is

done safely, securely and solely for our benefit

from banning

biological

weapons…

Security Health

Security

Health

Security

Health

A new vision of the BWC

Security Health

Mutual reinforcement:

Cooperation reduces risks;Reducing risks encourages cooperation.

Article I Never under any circumstances to acquire or retain biological

weapons

Article II To destroy or divert to peaceful purposes biological weapons and

associated resources prior to joining

Article III Not to transfer, or in any way assist, encourage or induce anyone

else to acquire or retain biological weapons

Article IV To take any national measures necessary to implement the

provisions of the BWC domestically

Article V To consult bilaterally and multilaterally to solve any problems

with the implementation of the BWC

Article VI To request the UN Security Council to investigate alleged

breaches of the BWC and to comply with its subsequent decisions

Article VII To assist States which have been exposed to a danger as a result

of a violation of the BWC

Article X To do all of the above in a way that encourages the peaceful uses

of biological science and technology

SIGNED (NOT RATIFIED)•Central African Republic

• Côte d'Ivoire

• Egypt

• Guyana

• Haiti

• Liberia

• Malawi

• Myanmar

• Nepal

• Somalia

• Syrian Arab Republic

• United Republic of Tanzania

STATES NOT PARTY• Andorra

• Angola

• Cameroon

• Chad

• Comoros

• Djibouti

• Eritrea

• Guinea

• Israel

• Kiribati

• Marshall Islands

• Mauritania

• Micronesia

• Mozambique

• Namibia

• Nauru

• Niue

• Samoa

• Tuvalu

1972 1975 1980 1986 1991 1994 1996 2001 2002 2006 2011

1ST

RE

VIE

W

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

2N

D R

EV

IEW

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

OP

EN

FO

R

SIG

NA

TU

RE

EN

TR

Y I

NT

O

FO

RC

E

3R

D R

EV

IEW

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

4T

H R

EV

IEW

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

5T

H R

EV

IEW

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

5T

H R

EV

IEW

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

6T

H R

EV

IEW

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

7T

H R

EV

IEW

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

SP

EC

IAL

CO

NFE

RE

NC

E

CBMS VEREX AD HOC GROUP1ST INTER

SESSIONAL

2ND INTER

SESSIONAL

the possibility of bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins being used as

weapons… would be repugnant to the conscience of [hu]mankind

Text of the

Convention

Incr

easi

ng

Vo

lum

e o

f Te

xt

Increasin

g strength

of co

mm

itmen

tBWC

ADDITIONAL

AGREEMENTS

COMMONUNDERSTANDINGS

Final

Documents

of Review Conferences

AnnualMeetings

Legally

binding

obligations

Politically

binding obligations

Shared

national positions

Nuclear

Weapons

Nuclear

Non-proliferation

Treaty

International

Atomic Energy

Agency

Chemical

Weapons

Chemical

Weapons

Convention

Organization for

the Prohibition of

Chemical Weapons

Biological

Weapons

Biological

Weapons

Convention

?

"There is no technical

solution to the problem of

biological weapons. It

needs an ethical, human

and moral solution if it's

going to happen at all"Joshua Lederberg

(Nobel Prize for

Medicine 1958)

• International response

• Global coverage

• Leverage power of states

• Human-centric approach

• Tap global capacity

• Engage new biotech

leaders

• Direct stakeholder

engagement

• Multi-sectoral response

• Universal access WEAPON

• Dedicated responsePROFES

SIONAL

BODIES

MEMBER

STATESPRIVATE

SECTOR

IGOS

NGOS

UN

TREATY

State Action

This is multilateralism

as it should be: flexible,

responsive, creative

and dynamic; and

above all, focused on

overcoming obstacles

and delivering resultsKofi Annan

(UN Secretary-General

1997-2006)

Annual Exchange of Data

• Labs (high Containment Labs (BSL4) and biodefence facilities)

• Unusual disease events

• Publication policy

• National implementation measures

• Past offensive / defensive activities

• Vaccine production capacity

Health

Networks

Customs

Networks

Judicial

Networks

Agricultural

Networks

Networks of Departments

Industry

Networks

Networks of

Professional

Associations

Networks of

Scientific

Organizations

Academic &

Policy

Networks

Non-Governmental Networks

Inte

rna

tio

na

l N

etw

ork

s

WHOWHOWHOWHO

FAOFAOFAOFAO

OIEOIEOIEOIE IIIINTERPOLNTERPOLNTERPOLNTERPOL

SCRSCRSCRSCR

1540154015401540

OPCWOPCWOPCWOPCW

Ne

two

rks o

f Sta

tes

StateStateStateState

StateStateStateState

StateStateStateState

StateStateStateState

StateStateStateState

StateStateStateState

A Network

Of Networks

BWC

Implementation Support Unit

2012 – 2015 Intersessional Programme

Standing Agenda ItemsStanding Agenda ItemsStanding Agenda ItemsStanding Agenda Items

Participation in Participation in Participation in Participation in Annual Exchanges Annual Exchanges Annual Exchanges Annual Exchanges

of Informationof Informationof Informationof Information

Procedures & Procedures & Procedures & Procedures & Mechanisms for Mechanisms for Mechanisms for Mechanisms for

Responding to Use Responding to Use Responding to Use Responding to Use

Assistance & Cooperation

Reviewing

S&T

Strengthening Implementation

Reports on Implementation of Article on Peaceful Use

Challenges & Obstacles to

Cooperation & Assistance

Specific measures to implement article

on peaceful uses

Ways & means to target &

mobilize resourcesMeans of

developing human resources in the

life sciences

Capacity-building in

dealing with disease

Coordination with other stakeholders

Assistance & Assistance & Assistance & Assistance & CooperationCooperationCooperationCooperation

Assistance &

Cooperation

Database

Sponsorship

Programme

Developments with weapons applications

Developments with benefits

for BWC

Measures for strengthening

biorisk management

Measures to encourage

responsible conductEducation and

awareness-raising about risks &

benefits

Developments relevant to the

activities of multilateral

organizations

Any other relevant developments

Science & Science & Science & Science & TechnologyTechnologyTechnologyTechnology

NationalNationalNationalNationalImplementationImplementationImplementationImplementation

Measures for full &

comprehensive implementation

Ways and means to

enhance national implementation

Regional and sub-regional cooperation

Laboratory biosafety and

security of toxins& pathogens

Any potential further

measures

www.unog.ch/bwcwww.unog.ch/bwcwww.unog.ch/bwcwww.unog.ch/bwc

Or contact:

BWC Implementation Support UnitUnited Nations Office for Disarmament AffairsRoom S.61, Palais des NationsGeneva

tel: +41 (0)22 917 2230

fax: +41 (0)22 917 0483

e-mail: bwc@unog.ch