On 30 June 2022, UNLIREC held a national introductory workshop in Peru which focused on the international legal regime against biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons, also known as weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and emphasized biological security.
This activity was organized in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru, and with the intervention of the International Support Unit of the Biological Weapons Convention (ISU-BWC) from the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs in Geneva. Thirty Peruvian officers involved in implementation of WMD disarmament and non-proliferation treaties participated.
The workshop gathered representatives of relevant national institutions and facilitated a discourse on the challenges and opportunities to strengthen the non-proliferation regime of biological weapons in Peru.
Controlling biological agents, toxins and related goods is important since they could be used for both legitimate purposes, such as medicine, as well as illegitimate purposes, namely the proliferation of biological weapons. Conversations focused on Peru´s interest in adopting and implementing national legislation to reduce the risks of the illegitimate uses of biological agents, toxins, and related goods. Such legislation would contribute to the security of citizens. During the workshop good practices and effective measures to protect people and the environment of the laboratories to infectious agents and toxins were also discussed.
Complementary, the workshop facilitated a dialogue on the main provisions included in international instruments such as the BWC and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) which mandate the prevention of the proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery to non-State actors.
Through this activity, UNLIREC seeks to contribute to strengthened capacities of Peruvian authorities to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including biological weapons in accordance with the UN Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament – Securing our common future.
