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The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) [external link PDF 16KB] came into force on 10 April 1972 and was the first treaty to ban an entire class of weapons. The BWC supplements the Geneva Protocol of 1925 (which bans the use of both biological and chemical weapons) by prohibiting the stockpiling, production and development of biological weapons. The Convention extends to weapons directed against animals and plants as well as humans.
The key provisions of the Convention are:
The Convention and its successive review conferences (there have been five) have established an international norm prohibiting the development, production, stockpiling and acquisition of biological weapons.
The Convention is most notable for what it doesn’t do, that is, it does not provide a legally-binding instrument to ensure that all its provisions are met. Efforts to establish some form of verification protocol in the lead up to the last Review Conference in 2001 could not be agreed. Since then, States have focused on other areas where there is scope of the Convention to be strengthened.
New Zealand's delegation to the Biological Weapons Convention Review Conference, 20 November-8 December 2006.
New Zealand signed and ratified the Convention in 1972, the year that it was opened for signature. New Zealand implements the Convention through the Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act 1987 [link to Act].
New Zealand has been active in efforts to implement some form of verification mechanism in the Convention. However, in the absence of any progress on this front, New Zealand has worked with other countries such as Australia and Canada to promote initiatives to strengthen the Convention. These include:
New Zealand worked to progress these issues at the Sixth Biological Weapons Convention Review Conference held in Geneva, 20 November - 8 December 2006. The meeting produced a good outcome with an article-by-article review of the Convention, the establishment of a small implementation support unit, a programme of annual meetings leading to the next Review Conference in 2011 and a strategy to promote greater universalisation of the Convention.
New Zealand ’s involvement in the BWC is covered by staff at the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and officials in Wellington at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
