Luanda - The Secretary of State for Protection of the State's Strategic Objectives, Lúcio Amaral, Tuesday in Luanda stressed the importance of banning biological weapons.
The official, who was speaking at the opening of the national awareness-raising workshop on “The Effective Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention in Angola”,, said the Biological Weapons Convention is a cornerstone of the international framework for regional and international peace and security.
Lúcio Amaral said the country recognizes the importance of non-proliferation and the total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, as it constitutes a serious threat to the purposes of peace and international security.
The Secretary of State added that the full and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 contributes significantly to regional and international peace and security.
He added that, with this in mind, the national authority for arms control and disarmament, which is responsible for implementing these important instruments, has chosen as its priorities the revision of the national legislation implementing the convention and the preparation and submission of the 1st National Report on Confidence Building Measures, the pillars of this national awareness and training seminar for the sectors involved in the process.
Lúcio Amaral said Angola is a country with a vocation for peace, which has experienced the reality of prolonged armed conflicts, an experience that reinforces the understanding of the importance of controlling all categories of weapons.
“We believe that this important national seminar will have a major impact on future actions leading to the fulfillment of national obligations and the effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention and UNSC resolution 1540, in all its different aspects,” Amaral said.
The representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Denize António, on his turn said that the organization has been working towards the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and the strict control of conventional weapons.
To this end, she said that the UN promotes global standards and supports the national implementation of multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation instruments adjusted to the national and regional realities, thus safeguarding countries' development priorities.
Denize António stressed that Africa's vulnerability to global crises was evident with the COVID-19 pandemic and the countless human, social and economic damages, which demonstrated the need for effective efforts to prevent and prepare for biological threats, whether accidental, naturally occurring or deliberate.
He explained that the event aims to raise awareness of the (CAB) among national stakeholders and discuss ways to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention in its implementation.
The representative of the donors (UK, US and Canada), Paulo Barroso Simões, added that the National Disarmament Commission plays a central role in coordinating Angola's activities under the Biological Weapons Convention, and that it is therefore crucial to reflect a strong commitment to create a resilient framework against biological threats.
Paulo Barroso Simões said that recent global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola outbreaks, have highlighted the urgency of preparing for biological threats. These events demonstrate how quickly such threats can cross borders and disrupt societies.
He said that Angola has made notable progress towards implementing the Biological Weapons Convention, including the drafting of a bill on the Convention, which represents a crucial step in strengthening the country's legal framework. AB/SC/TED/AMP
