PGA’s Global Parliamentary Campaign to Promote Universality and Implementation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) Peter Barcroft Director, Peace & Democracy Programme, PGA Contact Us 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 Email: info@pgaction.org
ABOUT PGA Today, and reflecting the more complex PGA was established in 1978 in and interconnected world in which it now Washington, D.C. by a group of concerned lives, PGA and its members worldwide Parliamentarians from around the world devotes their time and energies to to take collective, coordinated and promoting human rights, international cohesive actions on global problems, justice and accountability, advocating for which could not be successfully conflict prevention mechanisms and addressed by any one government or security sector reform as well as parliament acting alone. Founded during promoting gender, equality and non- the Cold War era, an early focus and discrimination. priority of the organization was mobilization of Parliamentarians worldwide in support of nuclear disarmament. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 2 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
ABOUT PGA For The Six Nations Initiative, PGA In 1984, PGA was instrumental in received the first Indira Gandhi Peace organizing the Six-Nation Peace Initiative, Price in 1986. PGA played a role in the led by the Heads of States and genesis of the Convention on the Governments of Argentina, Greece, India, Prohibition of the Development, Mexico, Sweden and Tanzania. This Production, Stockpiling and Use of Initiative has been widely-credited with Chemical Weapons and on their making an important contribution leading Destruction (CWC) and its Membership to the adoption of the Comprehensive made contributions in securing several Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) 12 years later. ratifications of the CWC, facilitating its entry into force. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 3 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
PGA's Global Parliamentary Campaign for the Universality and Implementation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 5 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
Countries where PGA Members, including in one instance a sitting Foreign Minister, played a central role in the recent ratification, over the past two years, of the Biological Weapons Convention: GUINEA SAMOA ANGOLA LIBERIA NEPAL Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 6 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 7 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
1. Mobilizing PGA Members of Parliament (MPs) and other concerned PGA's Global Parliamentarians worldwide who possess a demonstrated track record Parliamentary Campaign of success in promoting signature and ratification of international for the Universality and treaties to also engage in promoting Universality and Implementation of the BTWC Implementation of the Biological and Toxin 2. International, Regional and National Parliamentary events to foster peer-to-peer dialogue and to provide essential platforms for sharing of Weapons Convention respective experiences in promoting Universality and Implementation of the BTWC 3. Extensive, continuous provision of technical/legal advice to PGA Member MPs worldwide to better equip them in their advocacy and other law-making initiatives in support of Universality and Implementation of the BTWC. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 8 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
37th Annual Parliamentary Forum This Forum took place on the on the topic of 40th anniversary of the entry into force of the BWC and Role of Parliamentarians in served to generate substantial Support of Peace and Security political will among lawmakers in advance of the 8th BWC in San Salvador, El Salvador Review Conference, which took from 30 Nov - 1 Dec, 2015 place in late 2016. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 9 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
Regional Africa Parliamentary Workshop High-Level Officials: UN Resident in Freetown Sierra Leone in Representative, a Representative March 2017 from UNDP, the High Commissioners from Canada and Nigeria, as well as representatives Participating Countries: from the UK High Commission and Central African Republic, Chad, Embassy of the United States, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chief of the Implementation Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Liberia, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Weapons Convention, as well as the Leone, Somalia and Tanzania Sierra Leone CBRN National Focal Point of the European Union Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Centre of Excellence (CoE) Initiative. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 10 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
Regional Latin America Parliamentary Workshop High-Level Officials: in Santiago, Chile in May 2017 Coordination Officer, on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator, the Ambassador of Canada to Chile, the Participating Countries: Chief of the Implementation Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Colombia, Costa Rica, Weapons Convention, as well as the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Chilean Army Major, and National Honduras, Paraguay, Uruguay Focal Point on the BTWC in Chile. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 11 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
Over 90% of all Participants in both these Workshops in Africa and Latin America, working in close consultation with us in the PGA Secretariat, have taken substantive, verifiable steps to promote ratification and/or implementation of the BTWC in their respective countries, subsequent to their participation in these Workshops supported by the Government of Canada. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 12 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
PGA also organized 2 Field Missions to Haiti, in February and June of 2017- sending a delegation headed by prominent MPs from the Caribbean region, accompanied by PGA expert staff, who met with high level Governmental and Parliamentary officials in Port-au-Prince, including the Presidents of both Chambers of the Haitian Parliament to promote the ratification of the BTWC. I am pleased to report that as a result of these 2 Missions, the Government of Haiti has approved ratification of the BTWC, transmitted it to the National Assembly in March of this year and we are hopeful the National Assembly will act on it, with the encouragement of PGA Members, in the next session of Parliament in a few months’ time. As many of you are already aware, Haiti is the only country in the Americas which has not yet ratified the BTWC and we hope that ‘this final piece in the jigsaw can be found’ within the next 6-12 months. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 13 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
In The Dominican Republic, for example, PGA Executive Committee member, Dip. Victor Bisonó Haza authored important legislation passed in the Dominican Republic in 2016 which, inter alia, penalized, for the first time in his country, the manufacture, usage and development of Weapons of Mass Destruction, including Biological Weapons. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 14 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
In Chad, under the initiative of PGA Member Hon. Theophile Yombombe, informed PGA in mid-July of 2017, that the Defense and Security Committee has sent a formal written recommendation to the Government of Chad calling for Accession by the Republic of Chad to the BTWC. In addition to sharing with PGA a copy of this Resolution from the National Assembly of Chad, Hon. Yomombe has also kindly provided copies of new draft legislation penalizing usage of weapons of Mass Destruction, including Biological Weapons. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 15 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
Biological Weapons Convention Adopted 45 years ago Members of Parliament are vital for implementation of International Treaties such as the BTWC and related legislation. Contact Us www.pgaction.org PGA Headquarters: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419 16 of 21 New York, NY 10038, USA Phone: +1-212-687-7755 | Email: info@pgaction.org
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