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News: The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) has completed 50 years recently.
About Biological Weapons Convention
- It was the first multilateral treaty categorically banning a class of weapon of mass destruction (WMD).
- Aim: It effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons.
- Signed: 10 April 1972
- Entered into force: 26 March 1975 (50 years completed in 2025)
- The BWC supplements the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which had prohibited only the use of biological weapons.
- It is a legally binding treaty.
- Duration to join the treaty: The BWC is a multilateral treaty of indefinite duration that is open to any country.
- Verification: The BWC does not have an inspection regime to verify compliance.
- Members: 188 countries, with Comoros the most recent to become a member.
- India is a member.
- Four states have signed but not ratified the treaty: Egypt, Haiti, Somalia and Syria.
- Five countries have neither signed nor acceded to the treaty: Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Israel and Kiribati.
