Diplomats and experts in Geneva considered the initiative of Kazakhstan to create an Agency on biological safety

On 18 November Zhanar Aitzhanova, the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan, addressed a webinar on institutional strengthening of the Convention on Prohibition of Biological Weapons. 

The Representative of Kazakhstan briefed participants about theongoing work to implement the initiative of President Tokayev to establish an International Agency for Biological Safety on the basis of the Biological Weapons Convention and accountable to the UN Security Council, which he put forward on  23 September during the session of the UN General Assembly.

Zhanar Aitzhanova stressed that in the context of the global pandemic launching of a biological weapons control system is especially valid. Whileworking on it, we need to take into account reforms initiated by the WHO and aimed at effectively responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases. Itisnocoincidencethatthe President of Kazakhstan in his September statement, while proposing an agency, also spoke of increasing WHO’s and national capacities and suggested to the UN to examine an idea of a network of Regional Centres for Disease Control and Biosafety. Therefore, the work on the creation of anagency should b esynchronized with efforts of the WHO and UN on establishment of a global system to prevent and respond to dangerous diseases. 

Speaking of the agency’s mandate,  the representative of Kazakhstan underlined that it could be based on the successful experience of BWC participants in areas of transparency, confidence building measures, capacity building as well as consensus solutions on the verification mechanism. Kazakhstan is ready to discuss parameters of the future multilateral body with all states and expert community. Outcomes of deliberations will be presented to BWC meetings scheduled in 2021. 

The online event, during which also delegations of China, Kenya, Ireland and UNIDIR made presentations, was attended by more than 180 diplomats and experts.