The Regional Latin America Parliamentary Workshop brought together prominent Legislators and several Government officials from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Paraguay, Uruguay for a two day period to discuss and review the Biological & Toxin Weapon Convention (BTWC), in particular its significance in the context of the Latin American community with a view to identifying a range of practical steps and initiatives that could be taken to promote ratification and implementation of the BTWC in their respective countries.

Also participating at the workshop were the Coordination Officer, on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator, the Ambassador of Canada to Chile, the Chief of the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention, via Skype Link from UNODA/UNOG Geneva as well as the Chilean Army Major, and National Focal Point on the BWC in Chile.

The Biological & Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning the development, production and stockpiling of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, was opened for signature on 10 April 1972 and entered into force on 26 March 1975. 178 countries have joined the BWC to date. Haiti is currently a non- State Party to the BWC - the last country in the Americas pending ratification of the BWC. In light of growing concern in recent years regarding efforts by Non State Actors, including terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram, Al Shabaab, Al Qaeda affiliates and ISIS, to manufacture and use biological weapons, a renewed international effort to improve the universality and national implementation of the BWC is now underway.

This PGA Regional Latin America Workshop was hosted by the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, and kindly supported by the Government of Canada’s Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. The purpose of the Workshop was to enable participating Members of Parliament from 11 Central and South-American Nations, and several Government Officials, to share with their colleagues the current thinking and position in their respective countries in connection with the Biological & Toxin Weapon Convention.

The main focus of the workshop was not only to raise awareness and understanding surrounding the importance of revising existing legislation related to this vital international Convention but also to encourage participants to take all necessary steps to ensure its robust implementation. In recognition of the resurgent importance of the BWC.

During the course of the 2 Day Workshop, both in formal presentations and during the highly participatory Interactive Dialogue segments, all of the MPs present gave precise information on the current status of the BWC in their respective countries as well as steps they are currently undertaking to promote ratification or implementation of the BWC, as appropriate.

A PGA Delegation was also received by the Acting-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and later by the Minister of Justice, to discuss implementing legislation on the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), the reporting on the UN Resolution 1540, as well as cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and full implementation of the Rome Statute.

At the conclusion of the Workshop, a highly focused and time specific Santiago Plan of Action was adopted to facilitate all crucial follow up actions by all participants, in the aftermath of this Workshop.

All participants undertook, inter alia, to report back to PGA on what steps they have been able to take pursuant to the Santiago Plan of Action within a 3 month period from the date of conclusion of the Workshop.