Biological Weapons Convention
Regional Initiatives

The BWC Three-Year Program of Work

At the reconvened session of the Fifth Review Conference of the States Parties to the BWC (held in Geneva in November 2002), participants agreed as follows:

1. To hold three anual meetings of the States Parties of one week duration each year commencing in 2003 until the Sixth Review Conference, to be held not later than the end of 2006, to discuss, and promote common understanding and effective action on:
   1. the adoption of necessary national measures to implement the prohibitions set forth in the Convention, including the enactment of penal legislation;
   2. national mechanisms to establish and maintain the security and oversight of pathogenic microorganisms and toxins;
   3. enhancing international capabilities for responding to, investigating and mitigating the effects of cases of alleged use of biological or toxin weapons or suspicious outbreaks of disease;
   4. strengthening and broadening national and international institutional efforts and existing mechanisms for the surveillance, detection, diagnosis and combating of infectious diseases affecting humans, animals, and plants;
   5. the content, promulgation, and adoption of codes of conduct for scientists.
2. All meetings, both of experts and of States Parties, will reach any conclusions or results by consensus.
3. Each meeting of the States Parties will be prepared by a two-week meeting of experts. The topics for consideration at each annual meeting of States Parties will be as follows: item i and ii will be considered in 2003; items iii and iv in 2004; item v in 2005. The first meeting will be chaired by a representative of the Eastern Group, the second by a representative of the Group of Non-Aligned and Other States, and the third by a representative of the Western Group.
4. The meetings of experts will prepare factual reports describing their work.

The two Regional Workshops have built upon the discussions in the Meetings of Experts and of States Parties, in an effort to improve implementation of the BWC in our region.

'Works in Progress' and Follow-up Activities

The two Regional Workshops have resulted in the development of a number of 'works in progress' and follow-up activities for participants, relating to codes of conduct, confidence building measures, and legislative requirements for implementing the Convention in domestic law. Updates on these activities and projects will be provided on this website as they become available.