The United Nations commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Biological Weapons Convention on Wednesday, highlighting its role as the first multilateral treaty to ban an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.
The UN’s High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, emphasized the importance of preserving this global commitment in an era of geopolitical uncertainty.
She warned that the moral safeguard established half a century ago must not be allowed to “erode.”
Addressing Member States in Geneva, Nakamitsu described the BWC as a “testament to the conscience of humankind” and stressed the need for it to adapt to modern challenges.
“We must ensure the instruments of the 20th century can respond to today’s global 21st-century challenges,” she stated.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all state parties to engage actively in the Working Group on Strengthening the BWC.
This group focuses on verifying compliance, building capacity, and providing assistance. He called for accelerated efforts in this landmark year to reinforce the convention’s objectives.
“These efforts reinforce the commitment in the Pact for the Future, adopted at the United Nations last year, for all countries to pursue a world free of biological weapons,” Guterres said.
He described the BWC as a fundamental pillar of global peace and security, contributing for decades to the global rejection of using disease as a weapon.
The convention prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling, and use of biological and toxin weapons, with 188 nations currently participating.
By ensuring that advancements in biology and biotechnology serve only “peaceful purposes,” the BWC acts as a safeguard against the threat of artificial epidemics. However, a handful of countries remain outside its framework.
While most UN Member States have ratified the treaty, nine nations have yet to join. Guterres urged these governments to ratify the BWC without delay.
To support its implementation, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) has worked extensively, particularly in Africa. Over the past five years, its Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship has engaged 100 young scientists in biosecurity initiatives.
“Together, let us stand united against biological weapons,” Guterres declared.
As the world faces emerging health crises and growing geopolitical instability, the BWC remains a crucial safeguard against the misuse of science.
The UN Secretary-General underscored the importance of reinforcing the treaty to ensure biological weapons are never used again—whether in warfare, terrorism, or by accident.
Currently, the BWC has 187 states parties, including Palestine, along with four signatories: Egypt, Haiti, Somalia, and Syria.
Ten countries have neither signed nor ratified the treaty: Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Israel, Kiribati, Micronesia, Namibia, South Sudan, and Tuvalu.
