Africa-Press – Botswana. Africa, like other regions around the world, is faced with unique challenges including capacity constraints to resource limitations in implementing and enforcing the provisions of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), says Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi.
Officially opening a regional workshop on universalisation and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention in Southern Africa in Gaborone on Tuesday, Mr Mmusi said the challenges would take collaborative efforts to address.
Mr Mmusi said the weapons convention represented a cornerstone of the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime.
He reaffirmed the region’s commitment to peaceful use of biological sciences and technologies. He noted that since entering into force in 1975, the Biological Weapons Convention had committed to the prohibition and elimination of the entire categories of weapons of mass destruction.
Mr Mmusi said Botswana was committed to international security as demonstrated by her ratifying and implementing treaties on peace and security.
“Botswana ratified the Biological Weapons Convention in 1992 and has domesticated the treaty by passing the National Law in 2018 and the Biological and Toxins Weapons (Prohibition) Act, 2018,” he said.
The minister added that Botswana had been consistent in the implementation of the convention and had achieved remarkable milestones in ensuring that the treaty was effectively implemented.
Mr Mmusi said the workshop provided the SADC region with a valuable platform to enhance universalisation and effective implementation of the BWC in the region.
“It provides a broad understanding of the Biological Weapons Convention and related implementation requirements, including on national implementing legislation, confidence-building measures as well as roles and responsibilities of national contact points,” he said.
Through open and constructive dialogue the SADC region member states could identify common priorities, foster collaboration and build the necessary expertise to safeguard their nations against misuse of biological agents, he said.
The three-day workshop is conducted by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence and Security.
It is attended by delegates from the SADC region and will provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the Biological Weapons Convention, identify the needs of the states in Southern Africa and provide a platform for participants to share best practices in implementing the convention.
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