The Secretariat of the Kazakhstan Pugwash Committee reports that, on 24 August 2026, the International Pugwash Movement published a paper entitled “The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention – Vision 2030 and Beyond,” dedicated to prospects for strengthening the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC).
The publication was prepared following the ninth session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the BTWC, held in Geneva from 17 to 21 August 2026. During the session, the Pugwash Chemical and Biological Weapons Programme (CBW Programme) circulated its first briefing note on this subject.
The document notes that, in 2027, the States Parties will convene for the Tenth Review Conference of the BTWC and consider the recommendations of the current Working Group, which is due to complete its work in December 2026.
Under the title “Vision 2030 and Beyond,” the Pugwash briefing note identifies three key areas for further strengthening the BTWC regime: developing its institutional framework, establishing a verification regime, and creating a permanent mechanism for reviewing advances in science and technology.
The authors emphasise that the Convention’s resilience over more than five decades is rooted in its fundamental principle: the prohibition is determined by the purpose for which biological agents and toxins are used, rather than by a fixed list of such agents and toxins. Amid rapid advances in the life sciences, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and other related technologies, maintaining the relevance of this principle requires continuous scientific and technological assessment of emerging risks and opportunities.
The Pugwash Chemical and Biological Weapons Programme intends to continue developing the “Vision 2030 and Beyond” concept in the lead-up to the Tenth Review Conference of the BTWC. This work is aimed at strengthening the Convention’s norms and compliance mechanisms, improving preparedness for emerging scientific and technological challenges, and reducing the risks associated with the development, production, proliferation, and use of chemical and biological weapons.
The briefing note was prepared by Maria Espona (Argentina), Animesh Roul (India), Miranda Smith (United States), Liseka Tandwa (South Africa), and Jean Pascal Zanders (Belgium).
Further information: https://pugwash.org/2026/08/24/the-biological-and-toxin-weapons-convention-vision-2030-and-beyond/
Pugwash briefing note: https://pugwash.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pugwash-CBW-Briefing-note_8Aug2026.pdf