List of parties to the Biological Weapons Convention


The list of parties to the Biological Weapons Convention encompasses the states who have signed and ratified or acceded to the international agreement outlawing biological weapons.
On 10 April 1972, the Biological Weapons Convention, also known as the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention 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 treaty can only accede to it.
A total of 197 states may become members of the Biological Weapons Convention, including all 193 United Nations member states, the Cook Islands, the Holy See, the State of Palestine and Niue. As of August 2019, 183 states have ratified or acceded to the treaty, most recently Tanzania in August 2019. As well, the Republic of China, which is currently only recognized by, 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 to the People's Republic of China. A further five 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 Treaty 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 a Report to the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention, as of August 2019 183 states have ratified the BWC. However, the status of the succession of a number of additional states to the BWC is unclear. For further details, see the [|Succession of colonies to the BWC] section below.
Multiple dates indicate the different days in which states submitted their signature or deposition, varied by location. This location is noted by: for London, for Moscow, and for Washington D.C.
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Signed 10 April 1972
Deposited 30 April 1973

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Also ratified by on 28 November 1972 prior to German reunification
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Signed 10 April 1972
Deposited 25 October 1973
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Signed 10 April 1972
Deposited 30 April 1973

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Signed by the and on 10 April 1972 prior to Vietnamese reunification

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Also signed by on 10 April 1972 prior to Yemeni unification
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;Notes

State with limited recognition, abiding by treaty

The Republic of China, which is currently only recognized by, 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 to the People's Republic of China 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".
StateSignedDepositedMethod
Apr 10, 1972Feb 9, 1973Ratification

Signatory states

The following four states have signed, but not ratified the BWC.
StateSignedRatification status
No action expected in near future
Process well advanced
Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities
No action expected in near future

;Notes

Non-signatory states

The following 10 UN member states have neither signed nor ratified the BWC.
StateRatification status
Process started
Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities
Process started
Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities
No action expected in near future
Process started
Process well advanced
Process started
Process well advanced
Process started

;Notes

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, "newly independent states" 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", 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:
This declaration bound the territories of Kiribati and Tuvalu to the terms of the Convention. Following their independence, none of these states have made unambiguous declarations of succession to the BWC. Dominica and Vanuatu's statuses were likewise ambiguous from their independence until 2016.

Kiribati

In 1979, Kiribati gained their independence and subsequently the President of Kiribati sent a note to the UNSG stating that:
Since then, none of the depositaries for the BWC have received an instrument of accession or succession to the Convention from Kiribati. However, the Government of Kiribati has made statements suggesting that it does not consider itself a party to the treaty.

Tuvalu

Following independence in 1978, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu sent a note to the UNSC stating that:
Since then, none of the depositaries for the BWC have received an instrument of accession or succession to the Convention from Tuvalu. However, the Government of Tuvalu has made statements suggesting that it does not consider itself a party to the treaty.

Dominica

After becoming independent in 1978, the Prime Minister of Dominica sent a note to the Secretary-General of the United Nations stating that:
The Government of Dominica later stated that it did not consider itself bound by the Convention. However, Dominica was listed as a state party to the BWC in documents from the Meetings of the States Parties to the BWC. The UK Treaty Office did not receive an instrument of succession from Dominica until 2016.

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, however the Government of Vanuatu made statements suggesting that it did not consider itself a party to the treaty and the UK depositary had no record of receiving an instrument of succession to the BWC from Vanuatu until 2016.