A UN conference approved steps to strengthen an accord aimed at banning biological weapons.
The Biological Weapons Convention delegates unanimously agreed in Geneva to set up a working group to verify compliance and improve transparency among members. The review conference was held from November 28 to December 16 in the UN European headquarters.
The convention prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of bioweapons using viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.
Delegates at the 9th Review Conference focused on how to strengthen the agreement to prevent viruses and other pathogens from being used for weapons as the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten public health around the world.
The agreement to strengthen the accord came on the final day of the once every five-years event.
Challenges to progress in discussions by delegates included claims by Russia that the United States and Ukraine are secretly working together to develop biological weapons.
The agreement didn't include language some delegates had sought on the situation of implementing the ban.
Japanese Ambassador to the UN Conference on Disarmament Ogasawara Ichiro, deputy chair of the meeting, said that the results fell short of what was initially hoped for but that it was good to have a unanimous agreement.
He added that the countries share similar feelings about the pandemic and its impact on the world.
Ogasawara said continuous effort is needed to strengthen the convention toward the next review meeting.
The Biological Weapons Convention delegates unanimously agreed in Geneva to set up a working group to verify compliance and improve transparency among members. The review conference was held from November 28 to December 16 in the UN European headquarters.
The convention prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of bioweapons using viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.
Delegates at the 9th Review Conference focused on how to strengthen the agreement to prevent viruses and other pathogens from being used for weapons as the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten public health around the world.
The agreement to strengthen the accord came on the final day of the once every five-years event.
Challenges to progress in discussions by delegates included claims by Russia that the United States and Ukraine are secretly working together to develop biological weapons.
The agreement didn't include language some delegates had sought on the situation of implementing the ban.
Japanese Ambassador to the UN Conference on Disarmament Ogasawara Ichiro, deputy chair of the meeting, said that the results fell short of what was initially hoped for but that it was good to have a unanimous agreement.
He added that the countries share similar feelings about the pandemic and its impact on the world.
Ogasawara said continuous effort is needed to strengthen the convention toward the next review meeting.
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Summary
UN conference in Geneva unanimously establishes a working group to verify compliance and boost transparency for the Biological Weapons Convention. The agreement focuses on strengthening the accord to prevent biological weapons (viruses, bacteria) amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Challenges
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ID: b6896ded-3aa9-4a9f-9613-fe424462d7dd
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221217_06/
Date: Dec. 17, 2022
Created: 2022/12/19 07:26
Updated: 2025/12/09 10:14
Last Read: 2022/12/19 07:39