22 September, 17:56
A regional workshop for the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia "Implications of developments in science and technology for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)", organized with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, was held in Kyiv from 21 to 22 September 2017. The event took place in the context of the implementation of EU Council Decision 2016/51 in support of the BWC within the framework of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The main organizers of the event were the Ukrainian Biochemical Society and the Geneva Branch of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, with financial support of the EU and the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. The representatives from 9 countries of the region, as well as from the EU, the OSCE, the US National Academy of Sciences, the Ukrainian Science and Technology Centre and a number of leading scientific and academic institutions participated in the workshop.
Speaking at the ceremonial opening of the event, the Director-General for International Security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mr. Sergii Shutenko noted that Ukraine being one of the co-authors of the BWC, continuously stresses the important role of this indispensable instrument in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and considers the Convention to be also a proper multilateral basis for developing international cooperation in the field of bio-safety and bio-security, including scientific and technological cluster.
The Ukrainian diplomat stressed the necessity for the international community to take every effort to improve the effectiveness and universality of the Convention. It was also emphasized the importance to consider the latest advances in science and technology in the relevant fields, and to promote awareness among scientists and the general public regarding the non-proliferation regime of biological weapons and possible risks that may appear as the consequence of ignorance and rapid development of science and technology.