Welcome to the BWC Observer, a new website dedicated to providing critical information and commentary on the Sixth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention.

The Biological Weapons Convention prohibits the development and acquisition of biological weapons. It’s the foundation of national and international efforts to prevent their use. From November 20 through December 8, 2006, delegates from member states around the world will assemble in Geneva, Switzerland, to review the operation of the Convention and take steps to improve its implementation and enhance their efforts to counter the threat of biological weapons.

We will be there, providing updates and commentary on the goings on, based on reports from observers on the ground in Geneva. We will answer questions on the Review Conference and related topics submitted via the website (see Submit a Question). And we will provide a single point of access for a wide range of documents and materials related to the Review Conference, as they become available.

As you look around this site, you will also find an easy-to-understand synopsis of many of the key issues expected to be discussed at the Review Conference, linked where possible to a summary of proposals that have been offered by States Parties to the Convention. We have selected a few highlighted resources which provide excellent overviews of the Review Conference and other useful information. In addition, as you move around the site you will find links to a wide range of additional background information and expert opinion on the Conference, as well as to a number of non-governmental organizations dedicated to preventing the development and use of biological weapons.

The Sixth Review Conference comes at a critical time. Member states have worked hard to recover from the near-collapse of the Fifth Review Conference in 2001. Yet their progress has been slow and they have avoided discussions of hard problems associated with advances in science and technology, bioterrorism, and biodefense programs and other state activities. Now the States Parties to the Convention need to find new ways to work together for the common good, consolidating the progress of the last few years and taking bold steps to renew significant collective action to counter the biological weapons threat. We will be there to report on their progress.

We hope that you will find this website useful - let us know what you think, and what we can do to improve it!