List of parties to the Biological Weapons Convention

Participation in the Biological Weapons Convention

Signed and ratified   Acceded or succeeded   Unrecognized state, abiding by treaty

Only signed   Non-signatory

The list of parties to the Biological Weapons Convention encompasses the states which have signed and ratified or acceded to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), a multilateral treaty outlawing biological weapons.

On 10 April 1972, the BWC was opened for signature. The Netherlands became the first state to deposit their signature of the treaty that same day. The treaty closed for signature upon coming into force on 26 March 1975 with the deposit of ratification by 22 states. Since then, states that did not sign the BWC can only accede to it.

A total of 197 states may become members of the BWC, including all 193 United Nations member states, the Cook Islands, the Holy See, the State of Palestine and Niue. As of July 2024, 187 states have ratified or acceded to the treaty, most recently the Federated States of Micronesia in July 2024. ^[1] As well, the Republic of China (Taiwan), which is currently only recognized by 11 UN member states, deposited their instruments of ratification of the BWC with the United States government prior to the US's decision to switch their recognition of the sole legitimate government of China from the Republic of China (ROC) to the People's Republic of China (PRC). A further four states have signed but not ratified the treaty.

Several countries made reservations when ratifying the agreement declaring that it did not imply their complete satisfaction that the BWC allows the stockpiling of biological agents and toxins for "prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes", nor should it imply recognition of other countries they do not recognise.

States Parties

According to the treaties database maintained by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, as of July 2024, 187 states have ratified or acceded to the BWC. ^[1]

Multiple dates indicate the different days in which states submitted their signature or deposition, varied by location. This location is noted by: (L) for London, (M) for Moscow, and (W) for Washington D.C.

State [1] [2] [3] [4]	Signed	Deposited	Method
Afghanistan	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Mar 26, 1975 (L)	Ratification
Albania		Jun 3, 1992 (W) Aug 11, 1992 (L) Mar 26, 1993 (M)	Accession
Algeria		Sep 28, 2001 (W)	Accession
Andorra		Mar 2, 2015 (W)	Accession
Angola		Jul 26, 2016 (W)	Accession
Antigua and Barbuda		Jan 29, 2003 (L)	Accession
Argentina	Aug 1, 1972 (M) Aug 3, 1972 (L) Aug 7, 1972 (W)	Nov 27, 1979 (W) Dec 5, 1979 (L) Dec 27, 1979 (M)	Ratification
Armenia		Jun 7, 1994 (M, W)	Accession
Australia	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Oct 5, 1977 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Austria	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Aug 10, 1973 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Azerbaijan		Feb 26, 2004 (M, W)	Accession
Bahamas		Nov 26, 1986 (L)	Accession
Bahrain		Oct 28, 1988 (L)	Accession
Bangladesh		Mar 11, 1985 (M) Mar 12, 1985 (W) Mar 13, 1985 (L)	Accession
Barbados	Feb 16, 1973 (W)	Feb 16, 1973 (W)	Ratification
Belarus	Apr 10, 1972 (M)	Mar 26, 1975 (M)	Ratification as   Byelorussian SSR
Belgium	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Mar 15, 1979 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Belize		Oct 20, 1986 (L) Nov 25, 1986 (W) Jan 13, 1987 (M)	Succession from   United Kingdom
Benin	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Apr 25, 1975 (W)	Ratification
Bhutan		Jun 8, 1978 (W)	Accession
Bolivia	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Oct 30, 1975 (W)	Ratification
Bosnia and Herzegovina		Aug 15, 1994 (W)	Succession from   SFR Yugoslavia
Botswana	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Feb 5, 1992 (W)	Ratification
Brazil	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Feb 27, 1973 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Brunei		Jan 31, 1991 (L)	Accession
Bulgaria	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Aug 2, 1972 (L) Sep 13, 1972 (W) Sep 19, 1972 (M)	Ratification
Burkina Faso		Apr 17, 1991 (W)	Accession
Burundi	Apr 10, 1972 (M, W)	Oct 18, 2011 (L)	Ratification
Cabo Verde		Oct 20, 1977 (M)	Accession
Cambodia	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Mar 9, 1983 (W)	Ratification
Cameroon		Jan 18, 2013 (W)	Accession
Canada	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Sep 18, 1972 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Central African Republic	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Sep 25, 2018 (W)	Ratification
Chile	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Apr 22, 1980 (L)	Ratification
China		Nov 15, 1984 (L, M, W)	Accession
Colombia	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Dec 19, 1983 (W)	Ratification
Republic of the Congo		Oct 23, 1978 (W)	Accession
Cook Islands		Dec 4, 2008 (L)	Accession
Costa Rica	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Dec 17, 1973 (W)	Ratification
Côte d'Ivoire	May 23, 1972 (W)	Mar 23, 2016 (M) Apr 26, 2016 (L)	Ratification
Croatia		Apr 28, 1993 (W)	Succession from   SFR Yugoslavia [lower-alpha 1]
Cuba	Apr 12, 1972 (M)	Apr 21, 1976 (M)	Ratification
Cyprus	Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) Apr 14, 1972 (M)	Nov 6, 1973 (L) Nov 13, 1973 (W) Nov 21, 1973 (M)	Ratification
Czech Republic		Apr 5, 1993 (L) Apr 9, 1993 (M) Sep 29, 1993 (W)	Succession from   Czechoslovakia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 30 April 1973
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Apr 10, 1972 (M, W)	Sep 16, 1975 (L) Jan 28, 1977 (W)	Ratification as   Zaire
Denmark	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Mar 1, 1973 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Dominica		Aug 1, 2016 (L)	Succession [lower-alpha 2]
Dominican Republic	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Feb 23, 1973 (W)	Ratification
Ecuador	Jun 14, 1972 (W)	Mar 12, 1975 (W)	Ratification
El Salvador	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Dec 31, 1991 (W)	Ratification
Equatorial Guinea		Jan 16, 1989 (M) Jul 29, 1992 (W)	Accession
Estonia		Jun 21, 1993 (W) Jul 1, 1993 (M)	Accession
Ethiopia	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	May 26, 1975 (L, M) Jun 26, 1975 (W)	Ratification
Fiji	Feb 22, 1973 (L)	Sep 4, 1973 (W) Oct 1, 1973 (L) Oct 5, 1973 (M)	Ratification
Finland	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Feb 4, 1974 (L, M, W)	Ratification
France		Sep 27, 1984 (L, M, W)	Accession
Gabon	Apr 10, 1972 (L)	Aug 16, 2007 (W)	Ratification
Gambia	Jun 2, 1972 (M) Aug 8, 1972 (L) Nov 9, 1972 (W)	May 7, 1997 (L) Jun 10, 1997 (M) Aug 1, 1997 (W)	Ratification
Georgia		May 22, 1996 (L, M)	Accession
Germany	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Apr 7, 1983 (L, W)	Ratification as   West Germany Also ratified by   East Germany on 28 November 1972 prior to German reunification
Ghana	Apr 10, 1972 (M, W)	Jun 6, 1975 (L)	Ratification
Greece	Apr 10, 1972 (L) Apr 12, 1972 (W) Apr 14, 1972 (M)	Dec 10, 1975 (W)	Ratification
Grenada		Oct 22, 1986 (L)	Accession
Guatemala	May 9, 1972 (W)	Sep 19, 1973 (W)	Ratification
Guinea		Nov 9, 2016 (L) [lower-alpha 3]	Accession
Guinea-Bissau		Aug 20, 1976 (M)	Accession
Guyana	Jan 3, 1973 (W)	Mar 26, 2013 (W)	Ratification
Holy See		Jan 7, 2002 (W)	Accession
Honduras	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Mar 14, 1979 (W)	Ratification
Hungary	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Dec 27, 1972 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Iceland	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Feb 15, 1973 (L, M, W)	Ratification
India	Jan 15, 1973 (L, M, W)	Jul 15, 1974 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Indonesia	Jun 20, 1972 (M, W) Jun 21, 1972 (L)	Feb 4, 1992 (M) Feb 19, 1992 (L) Apr 1, 1992 (W)	Ratification
Iran	Apr 10, 1972 (M, W) Nov 16, 1972 (L)	Aug 22, 1973 (L, W) Aug 27, 1973 (M)	Ratification
Iraq	May 11, 1972 (M)	Jun 19, 1991 (M)	Ratification
Ireland	Apr 10, 1972 (L, W)	Oct 27, 1972 (L, W)	Ratification
Italy	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	May 30, 1975 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Jamaica		Aug 13, 1975 (L)	Accession
Japan	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Jun 8, 1982 (W) Jun 18, 1982 (L, M)	Ratification
Jordan	Apr 10, 1972 (W) Apr 17, 1972 (L) Apr 24, 1972 (M)	May 30, 1975 (M) Jun 2, 1975 (W) Jun 27, 1975 (L)	Ratification
Kazakhstan		Jun 15, 2007 (M)	Accession
Kenya		Jan 7, 1976 (L)	Accession
Kuwait	Apr 14, 1972 (M, W) Apr 27, 1972 (L)	Jul 18, 1972 (W) Jul 26, 1972 (L) Aug 1, 1972 (M)	Ratification
Kyrgyzstan		Oct 15, 2004 (M)	Accession
Laos	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Mar 20, 1973 (M) Mar 22, 1973 (W) Apr 25, 1973 (L)	Ratification
Latvia		Feb 6, 1997 (L)	Accession
Lebanon	Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) Apr 21, 1972 (M)	Mar 26, 1975 (L) Apr 2, 1975 (M) Jun 13, 1975 (W)	Ratification
Lesotho	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Sep 6, 1977 (L)	Ratification
Liberia	Apr 10, 1972 (W) Apr 14, 1972 (L)	Nov 4, 2016 (W)	Ratification
Libya	Apr 10, 1972 (M)	Jan 19, 1982 (M)	Ratification
Liechtenstein		May 30, 1991 (W) May 31, 1991 (M) Jun 6, 1991 (L)	Accession
Lithuania		Feb 10, 1998 (L)	Accession
Luxembourg	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M) Apr 12, 1972 (W)	Mar 23, 1976 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Madagascar	Oct 13, 1972 (L)	Mar 7, 2008 (M, W)	Ratification
Malawi	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Apr 2, 2013 (W)	Ratification
Malaysia	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Sep 6, 1991 (L, M) Sep 26, 1991 (W)	Ratification
Maldives		Aug 2, 1993 (M)	Accession
Mali	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Nov 25, 2002 (W)	Ratification
Malta	Sep 11, 1972 (L)	Apr 7, 1975 (L)	Ratification
Marshall Islands		Nov 15, 2012 (W)	Accession
Mauritania		Jan 28, 2015 (L)	Accession
Mauritius	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Aug 7, 1972 (W) Jan 11, 1973 (L) Jan 15, 1973 (M)	Ratification
Mexico	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Apr 8, 1974 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Micronesia		Jul 12, 2024 (W)	Accession
Moldova		Jan 28, 2005 (M, W)	Accession
Monaco		Apr 30, 1999 (L)	Accession
Mongolia	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Sep 5, 1972 (W) Sep 14, 1972 (L) Oct 20, 1972 (M)	Ratification
Montenegro		Jun 3, 2006 (M) Dec 12, 2006 (L)	Succession from   Serbia and Montenegro [lower-alpha 4]
Morocco	May 2, 1972 (L) May 3, 1972 (W) Jun 5, 1972 (M)	Mar 21, 2002 (L)	Ratification
Mozambique		Mar 29, 2011 (L)	Accession
Myanmar	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Dec 1, 2014 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Namibia		Feb 25, 2022 (L)	Accession
Nauru		Mar 5, 2013 (W)	Accession
Nepal	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Nov 4, 2016 (L, W) Nov 11, 2016 (M)	Ratification
Kingdom of the Netherlands	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Jun 22, 1981 (L, M, W)	Ratification, for the whole Kingdom
New Zealand	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Dec 13, 1972 (W) Dec 18, 1972 (L) Jan 10, 1973 (M)	Ratification
Nicaragua	Apr 10, 1972 (L, W)	Aug 7, 1975 (W)	Ratification
Niger	Apr 21, 1972 (W)	Jun 23, 1972 (W)	Ratification
Nigeria	Jul 3, 1972 (M) Jul 10, 1972 (L) Dec 6, 1972 (W)	Jul 3, 1973 (W) Jul 9, 1973 (L) Jul 20, 1973 (M)	Ratification
Niue		Jun 14, 2018 (W)	Accession
North Korea		Mar 13, 1987 (M)	Accession
North Macedonia		Dec 26, 1996 (M) Mar 14, 1997 (L) Apr 23, 1997 (W)	Succession from   SFR Yugoslavia [lower-alpha 5]
Norway	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Aug 1, 1973 (L, W) Aug 23, 1973 (M)	Ratification
Oman		Mar 31, 1992 (W)	Accession
Pakistan	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Sep 25, 1974 (M) Oct 3, 1974 (L, W)	Ratification
Palau		Feb 20, 2003 (W)	Accession
Palestine		Jan 9, 2018 (L, M)	Accession
Panama	May 2, 1972 (W)	Mar 20, 1974 (W)	Ratification
Papua New Guinea		Oct 27, 1980 (L) Nov 13, 1980 (M) Mar 16, 1981 (W)	Accession
Paraguay		Jun 9, 1976 (W)	Accession
Peru	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Jun 5, 1985 (L, M) Jun 11, 1985 (W)	Ratification
Philippines	Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) Jun 21, 1972 (M)	May 21, 1973 (W)	Ratification
Poland	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Jan 25, 1973 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Portugal	Jun 29, 1972 (W)	May 15, 1975 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Qatar	Nov 14, 1972 (L)	Apr 17, 1975 (L)	Ratification
Romania	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Jul 25, 1979 (W) Jul 26, 1979 (L) Jul 27, 1979 (M)	Ratification
Russia	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Mar 26, 1975 (L, M, W)	Ratification as   Soviet Union
Rwanda	Apr 10, 1972 (M, W)	May 20, 1975 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Saint Kitts and Nevis		Apr 2, 1991 (L)	Accession
Saint Lucia		Nov 26, 1986 (L)	Succession from   United Kingdom
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines		May 13, 1999 (L)	Succession from   United Kingdom
Samoa		Sep 21, 2017 (W)	Accession
San Marino	Sep 12, 1972 (W) Jan 30, 1973 (M) Mar 21, 1973 (L)	Mar 11, 1975 (L) Mar 17, 1975 (W) Mar 27, 1975 (M)	Ratification
Sao Tome and Principe		Aug 24, 1979 (M)	Accession
Saudi Arabia	Apr 12, 1972 (W)	May 24, 1972 (W)	Ratification
Senegal	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Mar 26, 1975 (W)	Ratification
Serbia		Apr 27, 1992 (M) Jun 5, 2001 (W) Jun 13, 2001 (L)	Succession from   SFR Yugoslavia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 25 October 1973 [9] Succession from   Serbia and Montenegro [lower-alpha 6]
Seychelles		Oct 11, 1979 (L) Oct 16, 1979 (W) Oct 24, 1979 (M)	Accession
Sierra Leone	Nov 7, 1972 (W) Nov 24, 1972 (L)	Jun 29, 1976 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Singapore	Jun 19, 1972 (L, M, W)	Dec 2, 1975 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Slovakia		Jan 1, 1993 (M) May 17, 1993 (L) Jun 10, 1993 (W)	Succession from   Czechoslovakia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 30 April 1973
Slovenia		Apr 7, 1992 (L, M) Aug 20, 1992 (W)	Succession from   SFR Yugoslavia
Solomon Islands		Jun 17, 1981 (L)	Succession from   United Kingdom
South Africa	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Nov 3, 1975 (W)	Ratification
South Korea	Apr 10, 1972 (L, W)	Jun 25, 1987 (L, W)	Ratification
South Sudan		Feb 15, 2023 (W)	Accession
Spain	Apr 10, 1972 (L, W)	Jun 20, 1979 (L, W)	Ratification
Sri Lanka	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Nov 18, 1986 (L, M, W)	Ratification Signed as Ceylon
Sudan		Oct 17, 2003 (L) Oct 20, 2003 (M) Nov 7, 2003 (W)	Accession
Suriname		Jan 6, 1993 (L, M) Apr 9, 1993 (W)	Accession
Swaziland		Jun 18, 1991 (L)	Accession
Sweden	Feb 27, 1974 (M) Feb 27, 1975 (L, W)	Feb 5, 1976 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Switzerland	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	May 4, 1976 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Tajikistan		Jun 27, 2005 (M)	Accession
Tanzania	Aug 16, 1972 (L)	Aug 14, 2019 (L)	Ratification
Thailand	Jan 17, 1973 (W)	May 28, 1975 (W)	Ratification
Timor-Leste		May 5, 2003 (W)	Accession
Togo	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Nov 10, 1976 (W)	Ratification
Tonga		Sep 28, 1976 (L)	Accession
Trinidad and Tobago		Jul 19, 2007 (L)	Accession
Tunisia	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	May 18, 1973 (W) May 30, 1973 (M) Jun 6, 1973 (L)	Ratification
Turkey	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Oct 25, 1974 (M) Nov 4, 1974 (L) Nov 5, 1974 (W)	Ratification
Turkmenistan		Jan 11, 1996 (M) Mar 8, 1996 (W)	Accession
Tuvalu		Jun 28, 2024 (W)	Accession
Uganda		May 12, 1992 (W)	Accession
Ukraine	Apr 10, 1972 (M)	Mar 26, 1975 (M)	Ratification as   Ukrainian SSR
United Arab Emirates	Sep 28, 1972 (L)	Jun 19, 2008 (L) [11]	Ratification
United Kingdom	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Mar 26, 1975 (L, M, W)	Ratification
United States	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W)	Mar 26, 1975 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Uruguay		Apr 6, 1981 (W)	Accession
Uzbekistan		Jan 26, 1996 (M)	Accession
Vanuatu		Sep 6, 2016 (L)	Succession [lower-alpha 7]
Venezuela	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Oct 18, 1978 (L, M, W)	Ratification
Vietnam	Apr 10, 1972 (M)	Jun 20, 1980 (M)	Ratification as the   Socialist Republic of Vietnam Signed by the   Democratic Republic of Vietnam and   Republic of Vietnam on 10 April 1972 prior to Vietnamese reunification [12]
Yemen	Apr 26, 1972 (M) May 10, 1972 (L)	Jun 1, 1979 (M)	Ratification as   South Yemen Also signed by   North Yemen on 10 April 1972 prior to Yemeni unification
Zambia		Jan 15, 2008 (L)	Accession
Zimbabwe		Nov 5, 1990 (L)	Accession

Notes

1. Croatia's effective date of succession was 8 October 1991. ^[5]
2. Dominica's effective date of succession was 3 November 1978. ^[2]
3. The Chairman of the Meeting of the States Parties to the BWC reported that Guinea had submitted an instrument of accession in 2011 that the depositaries deemed to be legally insufficient to become a party to the treaty. ^[6]
4. Montenegro's effective date of succession was 3 June 2006. ^[7]
5. Macedonia's effective date of succession was 17 November 1991. ^[8]
6. The FR Yugoslavia's (later Serbia and Montenegro) effective date of succession from the SFR Yugoslavia was 27 April 1992, while Serbia's effective date of succession from Serbia and Montenegro was 3 June 2006. ^[10]
7. Vanuatu's effective date of succession was 30 July 1980. ^[2]

State with limited recognition, abiding by treaty

The Republic of China (Taiwan), which is currently only recognized by 11 UN member states, deposited their instruments of ratification of the BWC with the United States government prior to the US's decision to switch their recognition of the sole legitimate government of China from the Republic of China (ROC) to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1971. When the PRC subsequently ratified the treaty, they described the ROC's ratification as "illegal". The ROC has committed itself to continue to adhere to the requirements of the treaty, and the United States has declared that they still consider them to be "bound by its obligations". ^[13]

State	Signed	Deposited	Method
Republic of China	Apr 10, 1972	Feb 9, 1973	Ratification

Signatory states

The following four states have signed, but not ratified the BWC. ^[14]

State	Signed	Ratification status [lower-alpha 1] [14]
Egypt	Apr 10, 1972 (L, M)	No action expected in near future
Haiti	Apr 10, 1972 (W)	Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities [lower-alpha 2]
Somalia	Jul 3, 1972 (M)	Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities
Syria	Apr 14, 1972 (M)	No action expected in near future

Notes

1. As per the 2023 Report of the Chairman on Universalization Activities to the Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.
2. As of September 2017, a ratification bill had been approved by Haiti's Cabinet of Ministers and submitted to parliament. ^{[15] [16]}

Non-signatory states

The following six UN member states have neither signed nor ratified the BWC. ^[14]

State	Ratification status [lower-alpha 1] [14]
Chad	Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities [lower-alpha 2]
Comoros	Process well advanced [lower-alpha 3]
Djibouti	Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities [20]
Eritrea	Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities
Israel	No action expected in near future
Kiribati	Process started [lower-alpha 4]

Notes

1. As per the 2023 Report of the Chairman on Universalization Activities to the Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.
2. In June 2017, Parliamentarians for Global Action reported that Chad's National Assembly had recommended that the government ratify the agreement. ^{[17] [15]}
3. In 2007, the Chairman of the Meeting of the States Parties to the BWC reported that ratification of the BWC had been approved by the government of Comoros and was pending signature by the President. ^{[18] [19]} In October 2023, the BWC Implementation Support Unit and United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs reported that Comoros government officials had informed them that ratification would be brought forward to parliament during the current session. ^[14]
4. Kiribati is not listed as a party to the BWC in documents from the Meetings of the States Parties to the BWC, ^[14] but its status is unclear. See further details on its succession to the BWC below. In 2016, Kiribati's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations committed to recommend accession to the treaty. ^[21] Accession was expected in 2020 according to Parliamentarians for Global Action. ^{[22] [ needs update ]}

Succession of colonies to the BWC

The status of several former dependent territories of a state party to the BWC, whose administrating power ratified the Convention on their behalf, with regards to the Convention following their independence is currently unclear. According to the Vienna Convention on Succession of States in respect of Treaties (to which 22 states are party), "newly independent states" (a euphemism for former colonies) receive a "clean slate", such that the new state does not inherit the treaty obligations of the colonial power, but that they may join multilateral treaties to which their former colonizers were a party without the consent of the other parties in most circumstances. Conversely, in "cases of separation of parts of a state" (a euphemism for all other new states), the new state remains bound by the treaty obligations of the state from which they separated. To date, this Convention has only been ratified by 22 states.

The United Kingdom attached a territorial declaration to their instrument of ratification of the BWC in 1975 stating in part that it applied to: ^[23]

"... in respect of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Dominica and Territories under the territorial sovereignty of the United Kingdom, as well as the State of Brunei, the British Solomon Islands Protectorate and, within the limits of the United Kingdom jurisdiction therein, the Condominium of New Hebrides [subsequently renamed Vanuatu]."

This declaration bound the territory of Kiribati to the terms of the Convention. ^[24] Following its independence, it has not made an unambiguous declaration of succession to the BWC. ^[24] Dominica, Tuvalu and Vanuatu's statuses were likewise ambiguous from their independence until they formally submitted instruments of accession or succession to the treaty.

Kiribati

In 1979, Kiribati gained their independence and subsequently, the President of Kiribati sent a note to the UNSG stating that: ^[24]

... the Government of the Republic of Kiribati declares that, with regard to multilateral treaties applied or extended to the former Gilbert Islands, it will continue to apply the terms of each such treaty provisionally and on the basis of reciprocity until such time as it notifies the depositary authority of its decision with respect thereto.”

Since then, none of the depositaries for the BWC has received an instrument of accession or succession to the Convention from Kiribati. ^[1] However, the Government of Kiribati has made statements suggesting that it does not consider itself a party to the treaty. ^[24]

Dominica

After becoming independent in 1978, the Prime Minister of Dominica sent a note to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) stating that: ^[24]

“The Government of Dominica declares that, with regard to multilateral treaties applied or extended to the former British Associated State of Dominica, it will continue to apply such terms of each treaty provisionally and on the basis of reciprocity until such time as it notifies the depositary authority of its decision in respect thereof.”

The Government of Dominica later stated that it did not consider itself bound by the Convention. ^[24] However, Dominica was listed as a state party to the BWC in documents from the Meetings of the States Parties to the BWC. ^[19] The UK Treaty Office (as depositary) did not receive an instrument of succession from Dominica until 2016. ^[2]

Tuvalu

Following independence in 1978, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu sent a note to the UNSC stating that: ^[24]

"The Government of Tuvalu desires that it should be presumed that each treaty purporting or deemed to bind Tuvalu before Independence has been legally succeeded to by Tuvalu and that action should be based on such presumption unless and until the Government of Tuvalu decides that any particular treaty should be treated as having lapsed."

Tuvalu acceded to the treaty as an independent state in 2024. ^[1]

Vanuatu

In 1980, the territory gained their independence. Vanuatu was listed as a state party to the BWC in documents from the Meetings of the States Parties to the BWC, ^[19] however the Government of Vanuatu made statements suggesting that it did not consider itself a party to the treaty ^[24] and the UK depositary had no record of receiving an instrument of succession to the BWC from Vanuatu until 2016. ^{[24] [25]}

See also

• List of parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention
• List of parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
• List of parties to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
• List of parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
• List of parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
• List of parties to the Ottawa Treaty
• List of parties to the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
• List of parties to weapons of mass destruction treaties

References

1. "Disarmament Treaties Database: Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs . Retrieved 2024-07-03.
2. "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
   "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction". Foreign and Commonwealth Office . Retrieved 2019-04-27.
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