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: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Web: https://www.unrec.org/  Twitter: @odaunrec) / X (twitter.com) https://www.facebook.com/odaunrec

Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit (CIAB ISU)
E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web https://www.un.org/disarmament/biological-weapons/ Twitter: @BWCISU www.facebook.com/1972BWC