Promoting the Universalisation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention

Building Stakeholdership in the Prevention

of the Hostile Use of Biology and Biotechnology

A Meeting for Kenya in Eastern Africa

A seminar organised by the BioWeapons Prevention Project

and the Institute for Security Studies (Kenya and South Africa)

Date: 15–16 November 2007
Location: Sarova Panafric Hotel, Jambo Room #1, Mezzanine, Kenyatta Avenue/Valley Road intersection, Nairobi, Kenya

Thursday, 15 November

09:00–09:30 Registration

Opening session

09:30–09:45 Welcome by Mr Guy Lamb, Head, Arms Management Programme, Institute for Security Studies, Nairobi, Kenya
09:45–10:00 Building stakeholdership in support of the norm against biological weapons, by Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, Director, BioWeapons Prevention Project, Geneva, Switzerland

Session 1: Addressing biological threats: Why should you be concerned?
Chair: Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, BioWeapons Prevention Project

10:00–10:15 Kenya’s perception of the biological threat and its responses, by Ambassador Thomas B. Amolo, Director for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya (or his representative)
10:15–10:30 What is the biological threat?, by Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, Director, BioWeapons Prevention Project
10:30–10:45 Banning the threat: insights from humanitarian law, by Mr Leonard Blazeby, Communications Co-ordinator, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Nairobi
10:45–11:00 Discussion

Coffee break

Session 2: The regional dimension of addressing biological threats
Chair: Dr Gustav Lindström, Geneva Centre for Security Policy

11:30–11:50 East Africa and the biological threat, by Mr Samuel Sserwanga, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and Senior Legal Analyst, Institute for Security Studies, Addis Ababa
11:50–12:10 Why is addressing the biological threat important for Africa?, by Mr Stephen Mwachofi Singo, Programme Officer, Peace and Security, Executive Secretariat, International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, Burundi
12:10–12:30 Discussion

Lunch

Session 3: Individual responsibility for preventing biological threats
Chair: Dr Annie Chikwanha, Institute for Security Studies

14:00–14:20 The governance of biosecurity and biosafety, by Dr Gustav Lindström, Faculty member, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), Geneva, Switzerland
14:20–14:40 Engaging scientists in support of the norm against BW, by Ms Frida Kuhlau, Centre for Bioethics, Uppsala University, Sweden
14:40–15:00 Discussion

Session 4: The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and the norm against the hostile use of disease
Chair: Mr Samuel Sserwanga, IGAD and ISS

15:00–15:20 Universalisation of the BTWC and its security benefits for East Africa, by Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, Director, BioWeapons Prevention Project
15:20–15:40 Engendering national stakeholdership towards ratification of the BTWC, by Mrs Gloria Bamusi, Foreign Service Officer (Political Affairs), Lilongwe, Malawi
15:40–16:00 Engendering national stakeholdership in the BTWC: a civil society perspective, by Ms Amelia du Rand, Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria, South Africa
16:00–16:15 Discussion

Coffee Break

Session 5: Preventing biological weapons in East Africa
Chair: Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, BioWeapons Prevention Project

16:45–17:00 Information tools: Introduction to the BioWeapons Monitor, Ms Aude Gata, BioWeapons Prevention Project

16:00–17:45 Final plenary discussion
17:45–18:00 Conclusions of the day by Mr Samuel Sserwanga, on behalf of the Institute for Security Studies


Friday, 16 November

Session 1: Civil society stakeholdership in the prevention of biological weapons

09:30–10:00 Goals and work programme of the BioWeapons Prevention Project, by Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, Director, BioWeapons Prevention Project
10:00–10:15 Discussion

10:15–10:30 Work in Progress: Informing communities of the need to prevent biological weapons, by Ms Aude Gata, BioWeapons Prevention Project
10:30–11:00 Discussion

Coffee Break

Session 2: Catalysing Change: what can we do to prevent the misuse of science for hostile purposes?

11:30–11:45 Networking for Change: The future role of African civil society organizations in biological weapons prevention, by Ms Amelia du Rand, Institute for Security Studies, South Africa
11:45–12:00 Catalysing Change: Experiences from Malawi, by Mr Undule Mwakasungula, Director, Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Malawi

12:00–12:30 Final plenary discussion

Lunch