Fifty years have passed since the international community took a significant step toward eliminating biological weapons with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The convention, which came into force on March 26, 1975, prohibits the development, production, and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons. It stands as a testament to global determination to prevent the use of such weapons by completely banning this class of mass destruction tools.
The BWC's negotiation was built upon earlier efforts like the 1925 Protocol for prohibiting asphyxiating gases and bacteriological warfare methods. These agreements highlight a shared belief that using biological agents and toxins as weapons is unacceptable under any circumstances.
The United States has expressed its strong commitment to the BWC and maintaining international norms against biological weaponry. "We unilaterally renounced biological weapons in 1969," stated U.S. officials, emphasizing their longstanding leadership and support for the convention over five decades.
Currently, there is an appeal for cooperation among nations to address threats posed by biological weapons. "We call on all States Parties to reaffirm their commitment to the Convention," urged U.S. representatives, advocating for increased national and international efforts against these threats.
As this anniversary is commemorated, U.S. officials have pledged continued leadership in global endeavors aimed at eradicating biological weapons permanently from the world stage.