NIM Programme Director Sonia Drobysz and Legal Officer Cédric Apercé participated in a Legislative Drafting Workshop for the Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Lebanon on 22-24 January 2019.
NIM Programme Director Sonia Drobysz and Legal Officer Cédric Apercé participated in a Legislative Drafting Workshop for the Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Lebanon on 22-24 January 2019.
The event was convened by the CBRN National Committee and gathered officials from the Ministry of Public Health, Justice, Industry, Civil Defence, Customs Administration, Lebanese Atomic Energy Agency, Lebanese Armed Forces, Internal Security Forces, and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Mr Rein Nieland from the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon and Ms Ana Izar from United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) opened the workshop.
The objective of the workshop was to assist national stakeholders in the process of drafting comprehensive BWC implementing legislation. After a formal opening session and introductory presentations on the Convention, its implementing obligations and Lebanon’s situation concerning the BWC, participants discussed legal and technical issues using VERTIC’s Sample Act for National Implementation of the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and Related Requirements of UN Security Council Resolution 1540. An action plan for the development of a bill for the implementation of the BWC was developed during the final session.
The workshop formed part of the assistance provided under Project 3 of the EU Council Decision 2016/51 in support of the BWC, implemented by the UNODA/ BWC Implementation Support Unit and supported by VERTIC ‘s expert legal advice.
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