The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), also known as the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), was enacted on March 26, 1975. In 2025, the world marks the 50th anniversary of this landmark treaty. The BWC was the first multilateral agreement to comprehensively ban an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. It prohibits the evelopment, production, and acquisition of biological weapons, while also recognizing the value of peaceful biological research and encouraging international cooperation in the life sciences.
Over the past five decades, the BWC has played a vital role in promoting global collaboration in biology and biotechnology. The convention welcomed Kiribati as its 189th State Party in May 2025. Over the past fifty years, the BWC has succeeded in building a global consensus against the weaponization of biology.
This volume presents a comprehensive analysis of the BWC’s historical development, key accomplishments, and potential future challenges.
Malcolm Dando, Alexander Kelle and Michael Crowley, "Countering the Continuing Danger from Toxin Weapons" in: Ajey Lele (ed), 50 Years of the Biological Weapons Convention. Tracking the Journey (New Delhi: Pentagon Press), pp. 85-98.
The pdf is free available.