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The list of parties to the Biological Weapons Convention encompasses the states which have signed and ratified or acceded to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), a multilateral treaty outlawing biological weapons.
| Signed and ratified Acceded or succeeded Unrecognized state, abiding by treaty | Only signed Non-signatory |
On 10 April 1972, the BWC 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 BWC can only accede to it.
A total of 197 states may become members of the BWC, including all 193 United Nations member states, the Cook Islands, the Holy See, the State of Palestine and Niue. As of February 2025, 188 states have ratified or acceded to the treaty, most recently the Comoros in February 2025. As well, the Republic of China (Taiwan), which is currently only recognized by 11 UN member states, 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 (ROC) to the People's Republic of China (PRC). A further four 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 BWC 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 the treaties database maintained by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, as of February 2025, 188 states have ratified or acceded to the BWC.
Multiple dates indicate the different days in which states submitted their signature or deposition, varied by location. This location is noted by: (L) for London, (M) for Moscow, and (W) for Washington D.C.
| State | Signed | Deposited | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Mar 26, 1975 (L) | Ratification |
 Albania | Jun 3, 1992 (W) Aug 11, 1992 (L) Mar 26, 1993 (M) | Accession | |
 Algeria | Sep 28, 2001 (W) | Accession | |
 Andorra | Mar 2, 2015 (W) | Accession | |
 Angola | Jul 26, 2016 (W) | Accession | |
 Antigua and Barbuda | Jan 29, 2003 (L) | Accession | |
 Argentina | Aug 1, 1972 (M) Aug 3, 1972 (L) Aug 7, 1972 (W) | Nov 27, 1979 (W) Dec 5, 1979 (L) Dec 27, 1979 (M) | Ratification |
 Armenia | Jun 7, 1994 (M, W) | Accession | |
 Australia | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Oct 5, 1977 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Austria | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Aug 10, 1973 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Azerbaijan | Feb 26, 2004 (M, W) | Accession | |
 Bahamas | Nov 26, 1986 (L) | Accession | |
 Bahrain | Oct 28, 1988 (L) | Accession | |
 Bangladesh | Mar 11, 1985 (M) Mar 12, 1985 (W) Mar 13, 1985 (L) | Accession | |
 Barbados | Feb 16, 1973 (W) | Feb 16, 1973 (W) | Ratification |
 Belarus | Apr 10, 1972 (M) | Mar 26, 1975 (M) | Ratification as  Byelorussian SSR |
 Belgium | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Mar 15, 1979 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Belize | Oct 20, 1986 (L) Nov 25, 1986 (W) Jan 13, 1987 (M) | Succession from  United Kingdom | |
 Benin | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Apr 25, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 Bhutan | Jun 8, 1978 (W) | Accession | |
 Bolivia | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Oct 30, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | Aug 15, 1994 (W) | Succession from  SFR Yugoslavia | |
 Botswana | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Feb 5, 1992 (W) | Ratification |
 Brazil | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Feb 27, 1973 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Brunei | Jan 31, 1991 (L) | Accession | |
 Bulgaria | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Aug 2, 1972 (L) Sep 13, 1972 (W) Sep 19, 1972 (M) | Ratification |
 Burkina Faso | Apr 17, 1991 (W) | Accession | |
 Burundi | Apr 10, 1972 (M, W) | Oct 18, 2011 (L) | Ratification |
 Cabo Verde | Oct 20, 1977 (M) | Accession | |
 Cambodia | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Mar 9, 1983 (W) | Ratification |
 Cameroon | Jan 18, 2013 (W) | Accession | |
 Canada | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Sep 18, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Central African Republic | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Sep 25, 2018 (W) | Ratification |
 Chile | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Apr 22, 1980 (L) | Ratification |
 China | Nov 15, 1984 (L, M, W) | Accession | |
 Colombia | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Dec 19, 1983 (W) | Ratification |
 Comoros | Feb 14, 2025 (W) | Accession | |
 Republic of the Congo | Oct 23, 1978 (W) | Accession | |
 Cook Islands | Dec 4, 2008 (L) | Accession | |
 Costa Rica | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Dec 17, 1973 (W) | Ratification |
 Côte d'Ivoire | May 23, 1972 (W) | Mar 23, 2016 (M) Apr 26, 2016 (L) | Ratification |
 Croatia | Apr 28, 1993 (W) | Succession from SFR Yugoslavia | |
 Cuba | Apr 12, 1972 (M) | Apr 21, 1976 (M) | Ratification |
 Cyprus | Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) Apr 14, 1972 (M) | Nov 6, 1973 (L) Nov 13, 1973 (W) Nov 21, 1973 (M) | Ratification |
 Czech Republic | Apr 5, 1993 (L) Apr 9, 1993 (M) Sep 29, 1993 (W) | Succession from Czechoslovakia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 30 April 1973 | |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo | Apr 10, 1972 (M, W) | Sep 16, 1975 (L) Jan 28, 1977 (W) | Ratification as  Zaire |
 Denmark | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Mar 1, 1973 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Dominica | Aug 1, 2016 (L) | Succession | |
 Dominican Republic | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Feb 23, 1973 (W) | Ratification |
 Ecuador | Jun 14, 1972 (W) | Mar 12, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 El Salvador | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Dec 31, 1991 (W) | Ratification |
 Equatorial Guinea | Jan 16, 1989 (M) Jul 29, 1992 (W) | Accession | |
 Estonia | Jun 21, 1993 (W) Jul 1, 1993 (M) | Accession | |
 Ethiopia | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | May 26, 1975 (L, M) Jun 26, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 Fiji | Feb 22, 1973 (L) | Sep 4, 1973 (W) Oct 1, 1973 (L) Oct 5, 1973 (M) | Ratification |
 Finland | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Feb 4, 1974 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 France | Sep 27, 1984 (L, M, W) | Accession | |
 Gabon | Apr 10, 1972 (L) | Aug 16, 2007 (W) | Ratification |
 Gambia | Jun 2, 1972 (M) Aug 8, 1972 (L) Nov 9, 1972 (W) | May 7, 1997 (L) Jun 10, 1997 (M) Aug 1, 1997 (W) | Ratification |
 Georgia | May 22, 1996 (L, M) | Accession | |
 Germany | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Apr 7, 1983 (L, W) | Ratification as West Germany Also ratified by  East Germany on 28 November 1972 prior to German reunification |
 Ghana | Apr 10, 1972 (M, W) | Jun 6, 1975 (L) | Ratification |
 Greece | Apr 10, 1972 (L) Apr 12, 1972 (W) Apr 14, 1972 (M) | Dec 10, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 Grenada | Oct 22, 1986 (L) | Accession | |
 Guatemala | May 9, 1972 (W) | Sep 19, 1973 (W) | Ratification |
 Guinea | Nov 9, 2016 (L) | Accession | |
 Guinea-Bissau | Aug 20, 1976 (M) | Accession | |
 Guyana | Jan 3, 1973 (W) | Mar 26, 2013 (W) | Ratification |
 Holy See | Jan 7, 2002 (W) | Accession | |
 Honduras | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Mar 14, 1979 (W) | Ratification |
 Hungary | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Dec 27, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Iceland | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Feb 15, 1973 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 India | Jan 15, 1973 (L, M, W) | Jul 15, 1974 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Indonesia | Jun 20, 1972 (M, W) Jun 21, 1972 (L) | Feb 4, 1992 (M) Feb 19, 1992 (L) Apr 1, 1992 (W) | Ratification |
 Iran | Apr 10, 1972 (M, W) Nov 16, 1972 (L) | Aug 22, 1973 (L, W) Aug 27, 1973 (M) | Ratification |
 Iraq | May 11, 1972 (M) | Jun 19, 1991 (M) | Ratification |
 Ireland | Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) | Oct 27, 1972 (L, W) | Ratification |
 Italy | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | May 30, 1975 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Jamaica | Aug 13, 1975 (L) | Accession | |
 Japan | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Jun 8, 1982 (W) Jun 18, 1982 (L, M) | Ratification |
 Jordan | Apr 10, 1972 (W) Apr 17, 1972 (L) Apr 24, 1972 (M) | May 30, 1975 (M) Jun 2, 1975 (W) Jun 27, 1975 (L) | Ratification |
 Kazakhstan | Jun 15, 2007 (M) | Accession | |
 Kenya | Jan 7, 1976 (L) | Accession | |
 Kuwait | Apr 14, 1972 (M, W) Apr 27, 1972 (L) | Jul 18, 1972 (W) Jul 26, 1972 (L) Aug 1, 1972 (M) | Ratification |
 Kyrgyzstan | Oct 15, 2004 (M) | Accession | |
 Laos | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Mar 20, 1973 (M) Mar 22, 1973 (W) Apr 25, 1973 (L) | Ratification |
 Latvia | Feb 6, 1997 (L) | Accession | |
 Lebanon | Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) Apr 21, 1972 (M) | Mar 26, 1975 (L) Apr 2, 1975 (M) Jun 13, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 Lesotho | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Sep 6, 1977 (L) | Ratification |
 Liberia | Apr 10, 1972 (W) Apr 14, 1972 (L) | Nov 4, 2016 (W) | Ratification |
 Libya | Apr 10, 1972 (M) | Jan 19, 1982 (M) | Ratification |
 Liechtenstein | May 30, 1991 (W) May 31, 1991 (M) Jun 6, 1991 (L) | Accession | |
 Lithuania | Feb 10, 1998 (L) | Accession | |
 Luxembourg | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M) Apr 12, 1972 (W) | Mar 23, 1976 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Madagascar | Oct 13, 1972 (L) | Mar 7, 2008 (M, W) | Ratification |
 Malawi | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Apr 2, 2013 (W) | Ratification |
 Malaysia | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Sep 6, 1991 (L, M) Sep 26, 1991 (W) | Ratification |
 Maldives | Aug 2, 1993 (M) | Accession | |
 Mali | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Nov 25, 2002 (W) | Ratification |
 Malta | Sep 11, 1972 (L) | Apr 7, 1975 (L) | Ratification |
 Marshall Islands | Nov 15, 2012 (W) | Accession | |
 Mauritania | Jan 28, 2015 (L) | Accession | |
 Mauritius | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Aug 7, 1972 (W) Jan 11, 1973 (L) Jan 15, 1973 (M) | Ratification |
 Mexico | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Apr 8, 1974 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Micronesia | Jul 12, 2024 (W) | Accession | |
 Moldova | Jan 28, 2005 (M, W) | Accession | |
 Monaco | Apr 30, 1999 (L) | Accession | |
 Mongolia | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Sep 5, 1972 (W) Sep 14, 1972 (L) Oct 20, 1972 (M) | Ratification |
 Montenegro | Jun 3, 2006 (M) Dec 12, 2006 (L) | Succession from  Serbia and Montenegro | |
 Morocco | May 2, 1972 (L) May 3, 1972 (W) Jun 5, 1972 (M) | Mar 21, 2002 (L) | Ratification |
 Mozambique | Mar 29, 2011 (L) | Accession | |
 Myanmar | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Dec 1, 2014 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Namibia | Feb 25, 2022 (L) | Accession | |
 Nauru | Mar 5, 2013 (W) | Accession | |
 Nepal | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Nov 4, 2016 (L, W) Nov 11, 2016 (M) | Ratification |
 Kingdom of the Netherlands | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Jun 22, 1981 (L, M, W) | Ratification, for the whole Kingdom |
 New Zealand | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Dec 13, 1972 (W) Dec 18, 1972 (L) Jan 10, 1973 (M) | Ratification |
 Nicaragua | Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) | Aug 7, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 Niger | Apr 21, 1972 (W) | Jun 23, 1972 (W) | Ratification |
 Nigeria | Jul 3, 1972 (M) Jul 10, 1972 (L) Dec 6, 1972 (W) | Jul 3, 1973 (W) Jul 9, 1973 (L) Jul 20, 1973 (M) | Ratification |
 Niue | Jun 14, 2018 (W) | Accession | |
 North Korea | Mar 13, 1987 (M) | Accession | |
 North Macedonia | Dec 26, 1996 (M) Mar 14, 1997 (L) Apr 23, 1997 (W) | Succession from SFR Yugoslavia | |
 Norway | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Aug 1, 1973 (L, W) Aug 23, 1973 (M) | Ratification |
 Oman | Mar 31, 1992 (W) | Accession | |
 Pakistan | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Sep 25, 1974 (M) Oct 3, 1974 (L, W) | Ratification |
 Palau | Feb 20, 2003 (W) | Accession | |
 Palestine | Jan 9, 2018 (L, M) | Accession | |
 Panama | May 2, 1972 (W) | Mar 20, 1974 (W) | Ratification |
 Papua New Guinea | Oct 27, 1980 (L) Nov 13, 1980 (M) Mar 16, 1981 (W) | Accession | |
 Paraguay | Jun 9, 1976 (W) | Accession | |
 Peru | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Jun 5, 1985 (L, M) Jun 11, 1985 (W) | Ratification |
 Philippines | Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) Jun 21, 1972 (M) | May 21, 1973 (W) | Ratification |
 Poland | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Jan 25, 1973 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Portugal | Jun 29, 1972 (W) | May 15, 1975 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Qatar | Nov 14, 1972 (L) | Apr 17, 1975 (L) | Ratification |
 Romania | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Jul 25, 1979 (W) Jul 26, 1979 (L) Jul 27, 1979 (M) | Ratification |
 Russia | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Mar 26, 1975 (L, M, W) | Ratification as  Soviet Union |
 Rwanda | Apr 10, 1972 (M, W) | May 20, 1975 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | Apr 2, 1991 (L) | Accession | |
 Saint Lucia | Nov 26, 1986 (L) | Succession from United Kingdom | |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | May 13, 1999 (L) | Succession from United Kingdom | |
 Samoa | Sep 21, 2017 (W) | Accession | |
 San Marino | Sep 12, 1972 (W) Jan 30, 1973 (M) Mar 21, 1973 (L) | Mar 11, 1975 (L) Mar 17, 1975 (W) Mar 27, 1975 (M) | Ratification |
 Sao Tome and Principe | Aug 24, 1979 (M) | Accession | |
 Saudi Arabia | Apr 12, 1972 (W) | May 24, 1972 (W) | Ratification |
 Senegal | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Mar 26, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 Serbia | Apr 27, 1992 (M) Jun 5, 2001 (W) Jun 13, 2001 (L) | Succession from SFR Yugoslavia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 25 October 1973 Succession from Serbia and Montenegro | |
 Seychelles | Oct 11, 1979 (L) Oct 16, 1979 (W) Oct 24, 1979 (M) | Accession | |
 Sierra Leone | Nov 7, 1972 (W) Nov 24, 1972 (L) | Jun 29, 1976 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Singapore | Jun 19, 1972 (L, M, W) | Dec 2, 1975 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Slovakia | Jan 1, 1993 (M) May 17, 1993 (L) Jun 10, 1993 (W) | Succession from Czechoslovakia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 30 April 1973 | |
 Slovenia | Apr 7, 1992 (L, M) Aug 20, 1992 (W) | Succession from SFR Yugoslavia | |
 Solomon Islands | Jun 17, 1981 (L) | Succession from United Kingdom | |
 South Africa | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Nov 3, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 South Korea | Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) | Jun 25, 1987 (L, W) | Ratification |
 South Sudan | Feb 15, 2023 (W) | Accession | |
 Spain | Apr 10, 1972 (L, W) | Jun 20, 1979 (L, W) | Ratification |
 Sri Lanka | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Nov 18, 1986 (L, M, W) | Ratification Signed as Ceylon |
 Sudan | Oct 17, 2003 (L) Oct 20, 2003 (M) Nov 7, 2003 (W) | Accession | |
 Suriname | Jan 6, 1993 (L, M) Apr 9, 1993 (W) | Accession | |
 Swaziland | Jun 18, 1991 (L) | Accession | |
 Sweden | Feb 27, 1974 (M) Feb 27, 1975 (L, W) | Feb 5, 1976 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Switzerland | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | May 4, 1976 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Tajikistan | Jun 27, 2005 (M) | Accession | |
 Tanzania | Aug 16, 1972 (L) | Aug 14, 2019 (L) | Ratification |
 Thailand | Jan 17, 1973 (W) | May 28, 1975 (W) | Ratification |
 Timor-Leste | May 5, 2003 (W) | Accession | |
 Togo | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Nov 10, 1976 (W) | Ratification |
 Tonga | Sep 28, 1976 (L) | Accession | |
 Trinidad and Tobago | Jul 19, 2007 (L) | Accession | |
 Tunisia | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | May 18, 1973 (W) May 30, 1973 (M) Jun 6, 1973 (L) | Ratification |
 Turkey | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Oct 25, 1974 (M) Nov 4, 1974 (L) Nov 5, 1974 (W) | Ratification |
 Turkmenistan | Jan 11, 1996 (M) Mar 8, 1996 (W) | Accession | |
 Tuvalu | Jun 28, 2024 (W) | Accession | |
 Uganda | May 12, 1992 (W) | Accession | |
 Ukraine | Apr 10, 1972 (M) | Mar 26, 1975 (M) | Ratification as  Ukrainian SSR |
 United Arab Emirates | Sep 28, 1972 (L) | Jun 19, 2008 (L) | Ratification |
| United Kingdom | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Mar 26, 1975 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 United States | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Mar 26, 1975 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Uruguay | Apr 6, 1981 (W) | Accession | |
 Uzbekistan | Jan 26, 1996 (M) | Accession | |
 Vanuatu | Sep 6, 2016 (L) | Succession | |
 Venezuela | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Oct 18, 1978 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Vietnam | Apr 10, 1972 (M) | Jun 20, 1980 (M) | Ratification as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Signed by the  Democratic Republic of Vietnam and  Republic of Vietnam on 10 April 1972 prior to Vietnamese reunification |
 Yemen | Apr 26, 1972 (M) May 10, 1972 (L) | Jun 1, 1979 (M) | Ratification as  South YemenAlso signed by  North Yemen on 10 April 1972 prior to Yemeni unification |
 Zambia | Jan 15, 2008 (L) | Accession | |
 Zimbabwe | Nov 5, 1990 (L) | Accession |
- Notes
- The Chairman of the Meeting of the States Parties to the BWC reported that Burundi submitted an incomplete instrument of ratification in 2000 that the depositaries deemed to be legally insufficient to become a party to the treaty.
- Croatia's effective date of succession was 8 October 1991.
- Dominica's effective date of succession was 3 November 1978.
- The Chairman of the Meeting of the States Parties to the BWC reported that Guinea submitted an instrument of accession in 2011 that the depositaries deemed to be legally insufficient to become a party to the treaty.
- Montenegro's effective date of succession was 3 June 2006.
- Macedonia's effective date of succession was 17 November 1991.
- The FR Yugoslavia's (later Serbia and Montenegro) effective date of succession from the SFR Yugoslavia was 27 April 1992, while Serbia's effective date of succession from Serbia and Montenegro was 3 June 2006.
- Vanuatu's effective date of succession was 30 July 1980.
State with limited recognition, abiding by treaty
The Republic of China (Taiwan), which is currently only recognized by 11 UN member states, 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 (ROC) to the People's Republic of China (PRC) 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".
| State | Signed | Deposited | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
 Republic of China | Apr 10, 1972 | Feb 9, 1973 | Ratification |
Signatory states
The following four states have signed, but not ratified the BWC.
| State | Signed | Ratification status |
|---|---|---|
 Egypt | Apr 10, 1972 (L, M) | No action expected in near future |
 Haiti | Apr 10, 1972 (W) | Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities |
 Somalia | Jul 3, 1972 (M) | Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities |
 Syria | Apr 14, 1972 (M) | No action expected in near future |
- Notes
- As per the 2024 Report of the Chairman on Universalization Activities to the Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.
- As of September 2017, a ratification bill had been approved by Haiti's Cabinet of Ministers and submitted to parliament.
Non-signatory states
The following five UN member states have neither signed nor ratified the BWC.
| State | Ratification status |
|---|---|
 Chad | Process started |
 Djibouti | Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities |
 Eritrea | Waiting for further information, assistance, or have other priorities |
 Israel | No action expected in near future |
 Kiribati | Process well advanced |
- Notes
- As per the 2024 Report of the Chairman on Universalization Activities to the Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.
- In June 2017, Parliamentarians for Global Action reported that Chad's National Assembly had recommended that the government ratify the agreement.
- Kiribati is not listed as a party to the BWC in documents from the Meetings of the States Parties to the BWC, but its status is unclear. See further details on its succession to the BWC below. In 2019, the Cabinet of Kiribati approved acceding to the treaty.
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 (to which 22 states are party), "newly independent states" (a euphemism for former colonies) 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" (a euphemism for all other new states), the new state remains bound by the treaty obligations of the state from which they separated.
The United Kingdom attached a territorial declaration to their instrument of ratification of the BWC in 1975 stating in part that it applied to:
"... in respect of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Dominica and Territories under the territorial sovereignty of the United Kingdom, as well as the State of Brunei, the British Solomon Islands Protectorate and, within the limits of the United Kingdom jurisdiction therein, the Condominium of New Hebrides [subsequently renamed Vanuatu]."
This declaration bound the territory of Kiribati to the terms of the Convention. Following its independence, it has not made an unambiguous declaration of succession to the BWC. Dominica, Tuvalu and Vanuatu's statuses were likewise ambiguous from their independence until they formally submitted instruments of accession or succession to the treaty.
Kiribati
In 1979, Kiribati gained their independence and subsequently, the President of Kiribati sent a note to the UNSG stating that:
... the Government of the Republic of Kiribati declares that, with regard to multilateral treaties applied or extended to the former Gilbert Islands, it will continue to apply the terms of each such treaty provisionally and on the basis of reciprocity until such time as it notifies the depositary authority of its decision with respect thereto.”
Since then, none of the depositaries for the BWC has 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.
Dominica
After becoming independent in 1978, the Prime Minister of Dominica sent a note to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) stating that:
“The Government of Dominica declares that, with regard to multilateral treaties applied or extended to the former British Associated State of Dominica, it will continue to apply such terms of each treaty provisionally and on the basis of reciprocity until such time as it notifies the depositary authority of its decision in respect thereof.”
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 (as depositary) did not receive an instrument of succession from Dominica until 2016.
Tuvalu
Following independence in 1978, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu sent a note to the UNSC stating that:
"The Government of Tuvalu desires that it should be presumed that each treaty purporting or deemed to bind Tuvalu before Independence has been legally succeeded to by Tuvalu and that action should be based on such presumption unless and until the Government of Tuvalu decides that any particular treaty should be treated as having lapsed."
Tuvalu acceded to the treaty as an independent state in 2024.
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.
See also
- List of parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention
- List of parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
- List of parties to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
- List of parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
- List of parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
- List of parties to the Ottawa Treaty
- List of parties to the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
- List of parties to weapons of mass destruction treaties
References
- "Disarmament Treaties Database: Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
- "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Archived from the original on 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
"Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Retrieved 2019-04-27. - "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction". United States Department of State. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
- Конвенция о запрещении разработки, производства и накопления запасов бактериологического (биологического) и токсинного оружия и об их уничтожении (in Russian). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- "Status of universalization of the Convention" (PDF). Seventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction. 2011-10-10. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
- "Croatia: Succession to Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
- "Montenegro: Succession to Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
- "North Macedonia: Succession to Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
- "Serbia: Succession to Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
- "Serbia: Succession to Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
- "UAE ratifies BWC". United Nations Office at Geneva. Retrieved 2008-07-29.
- "Viet Nam: Signature of Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
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- "Report on universalization activities" (PDF). Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction. 2024-12-14. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Report on universalization activities" (PDF). Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction. 2017-09-25. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
- "Maigre bilan du Parlement : Près d'une vingtaine d'instruments internationaux en souffrance". 2018-11-19. Archived from the original on 2018-11-27. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
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The list of parties to the Biological Weapons Convention encompasses the states which have signed and ratified or acceded to the Biological Weapons Convention BWC a multilateral treaty outlawing biological weapons Participation in the Biological Weapons Convention Signed and ratified Acceded or succeeded Unrecognized state abiding by treaty Only signed Non signatory On 10 April 1972 the BWC 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 BWC can only accede to it A total of 197 states may become members of the BWC including all 193 United Nations member states the Cook Islands the Holy See the State of Palestine and Niue As of February 2025 188 states have ratified or acceded to the treaty most recently the Comoros in February 2025 As well the Republic of China Taiwan which is currently only recognized by 11 UN member states 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 ROC to the People s Republic of China PRC A further four 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 BWC 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 PartiesAccording to the treaties database maintained by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs as of February 2025 188 states have ratified or acceded to the BWC Multiple dates indicate the different days in which states submitted their signature or deposition varied by location This location is noted by L for London M for Moscow and W for Washington D C State Signed Deposited Method Afghanistan Apr 10 1972 L M W Mar 26 1975 L Ratification Albania Jun 3 1992 W Aug 11 1992 L Mar 26 1993 M Accession Algeria Sep 28 2001 W Accession Andorra Mar 2 2015 W Accession Angola Jul 26 2016 W Accession Antigua and Barbuda Jan 29 2003 L Accession Argentina Aug 1 1972 M Aug 3 1972 L Aug 7 1972 W Nov 27 1979 W Dec 5 1979 L Dec 27 1979 M Ratification Armenia Jun 7 1994 M W Accession Australia Apr 10 1972 L M W Oct 5 1977 L M W Ratification Austria Apr 10 1972 L M W Aug 10 1973 L M W Ratification Azerbaijan Feb 26 2004 M W Accession Bahamas Nov 26 1986 L Accession Bahrain Oct 28 1988 L Accession Bangladesh Mar 11 1985 M Mar 12 1985 W Mar 13 1985 L Accession Barbados Feb 16 1973 W Feb 16 1973 W Ratification Belarus Apr 10 1972 M Mar 26 1975 M Ratification as Byelorussian SSR Belgium Apr 10 1972 L M W Mar 15 1979 L M W Ratification Belize Oct 20 1986 L Nov 25 1986 W Jan 13 1987 M Succession from United Kingdom Benin Apr 10 1972 W Apr 25 1975 W Ratification Bhutan Jun 8 1978 W Accession Bolivia Apr 10 1972 W Oct 30 1975 W Ratification Bosnia and Herzegovina Aug 15 1994 W Succession from SFR Yugoslavia Botswana Apr 10 1972 W Feb 5 1992 W Ratification Brazil Apr 10 1972 L M W Feb 27 1973 L M W Ratification Brunei Jan 31 1991 L Accession Bulgaria Apr 10 1972 L M W Aug 2 1972 L Sep 13 1972 W Sep 19 1972 M Ratification Burkina Faso Apr 17 1991 W Accession Burundi Apr 10 1972 M W Oct 18 2011 L Ratification Cabo Verde Oct 20 1977 M Accession Cambodia Apr 10 1972 W Mar 9 1983 W Ratification Cameroon Jan 18 2013 W Accession Canada Apr 10 1972 L M W Sep 18 1972 L M W Ratification Central African Republic Apr 10 1972 W Sep 25 2018 W Ratification Chile Apr 10 1972 L M W Apr 22 1980 L Ratification China Nov 15 1984 L M W Accession Colombia Apr 10 1972 W Dec 19 1983 W Ratification Comoros Feb 14 2025 W Accession Republic of the Congo Oct 23 1978 W Accession Cook Islands Dec 4 2008 L Accession Costa Rica Apr 10 1972 W Dec 17 1973 W Ratification Cote d Ivoire May 23 1972 W Mar 23 2016 M Apr 26 2016 L Ratification Croatia Apr 28 1993 W Succession from SFR Yugoslavia Cuba Apr 12 1972 M Apr 21 1976 M Ratification Cyprus Apr 10 1972 L W Apr 14 1972 M Nov 6 1973 L Nov 13 1973 W Nov 21 1973 M Ratification Czech Republic Apr 5 1993 L Apr 9 1993 M Sep 29 1993 W Succession from Czechoslovakia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 30 April 1973 Democratic Republic of the Congo Apr 10 1972 M W Sep 16 1975 L Jan 28 1977 W Ratification as Zaire Denmark Apr 10 1972 L M W Mar 1 1973 L M W Ratification Dominica Aug 1 2016 L Succession Dominican Republic Apr 10 1972 W Feb 23 1973 W Ratification Ecuador Jun 14 1972 W Mar 12 1975 W Ratification El Salvador Apr 10 1972 W Dec 31 1991 W Ratification Equatorial Guinea Jan 16 1989 M Jul 29 1992 W Accession Estonia Jun 21 1993 W Jul 1 1993 M Accession Ethiopia Apr 10 1972 L M W May 26 1975 L M Jun 26 1975 W Ratification Fiji Feb 22 1973 L Sep 4 1973 W Oct 1 1973 L Oct 5 1973 M Ratification Finland Apr 10 1972 L M W Feb 4 1974 L M W Ratification France Sep 27 1984 L M W Accession Gabon Apr 10 1972 L Aug 16 2007 W Ratification Gambia Jun 2 1972 M Aug 8 1972 L Nov 9 1972 W May 7 1997 L Jun 10 1997 M Aug 1 1997 W Ratification Georgia May 22 1996 L M Accession Germany Apr 10 1972 L M W Apr 7 1983 L W Ratification as West Germany Also ratified by East Germany on 28 November 1972 prior to German reunification Ghana Apr 10 1972 M W Jun 6 1975 L Ratification Greece Apr 10 1972 L Apr 12 1972 W Apr 14 1972 M Dec 10 1975 W Ratification Grenada Oct 22 1986 L Accession Guatemala May 9 1972 W Sep 19 1973 W Ratification Guinea Nov 9 2016 L Accession Guinea Bissau Aug 20 1976 M Accession Guyana Jan 3 1973 W Mar 26 2013 W Ratification Holy See Jan 7 2002 W Accession Honduras Apr 10 1972 W Mar 14 1979 W Ratification Hungary Apr 10 1972 L M W Dec 27 1972 L M W Ratification Iceland Apr 10 1972 L M W Feb 15 1973 L M W Ratification India Jan 15 1973 L M W Jul 15 1974 L M W Ratification Indonesia Jun 20 1972 M W Jun 21 1972 L Feb 4 1992 M Feb 19 1992 L Apr 1 1992 W Ratification Iran Apr 10 1972 M W Nov 16 1972 L Aug 22 1973 L W Aug 27 1973 M Ratification Iraq May 11 1972 M Jun 19 1991 M Ratification Ireland Apr 10 1972 L W Oct 27 1972 L W Ratification Italy Apr 10 1972 L M W May 30 1975 L M W Ratification Jamaica Aug 13 1975 L Accession Japan Apr 10 1972 L M W Jun 8 1982 W Jun 18 1982 L M Ratification Jordan Apr 10 1972 W Apr 17 1972 L Apr 24 1972 M May 30 1975 M Jun 2 1975 W Jun 27 1975 L Ratification Kazakhstan Jun 15 2007 M Accession Kenya Jan 7 1976 L Accession Kuwait Apr 14 1972 M W Apr 27 1972 L Jul 18 1972 W Jul 26 1972 L Aug 1 1972 M Ratification Kyrgyzstan Oct 15 2004 M Accession Laos Apr 10 1972 L M W Mar 20 1973 M Mar 22 1973 W Apr 25 1973 L Ratification Latvia Feb 6 1997 L Accession Lebanon Apr 10 1972 L W Apr 21 1972 M Mar 26 1975 L Apr 2 1975 M Jun 13 1975 W Ratification Lesotho Apr 10 1972 W Sep 6 1977 L Ratification Liberia Apr 10 1972 W Apr 14 1972 L Nov 4 2016 W Ratification Libya Apr 10 1972 M Jan 19 1982 M Ratification Liechtenstein May 30 1991 W May 31 1991 M Jun 6 1991 L Accession Lithuania Feb 10 1998 L Accession Luxembourg Apr 10 1972 L M Apr 12 1972 W Mar 23 1976 L M W Ratification Madagascar Oct 13 1972 L Mar 7 2008 M W Ratification Malawi Apr 10 1972 W Apr 2 2013 W Ratification Malaysia Apr 10 1972 L M W Sep 6 1991 L M Sep 26 1991 W Ratification Maldives Aug 2 1993 M Accession Mali Apr 10 1972 W Nov 25 2002 W Ratification Malta Sep 11 1972 L Apr 7 1975 L Ratification Marshall Islands Nov 15 2012 W Accession Mauritania Jan 28 2015 L Accession Mauritius Apr 10 1972 W Aug 7 1972 W Jan 11 1973 L Jan 15 1973 M Ratification Mexico Apr 10 1972 L M W Apr 8 1974 L M W Ratification Micronesia Jul 12 2024 W Accession Moldova Jan 28 2005 M W Accession Monaco Apr 30 1999 L Accession Mongolia Apr 10 1972 L M W Sep 5 1972 W Sep 14 1972 L Oct 20 1972 M Ratification Montenegro Jun 3 2006 M Dec 12 2006 L Succession from Serbia and Montenegro Morocco May 2 1972 L May 3 1972 W Jun 5 1972 M Mar 21 2002 L Ratification Mozambique Mar 29 2011 L Accession Myanmar Apr 10 1972 L M W Dec 1 2014 L M W Ratification Namibia Feb 25 2022 L Accession Nauru Mar 5 2013 W Accession Nepal Apr 10 1972 L M W Nov 4 2016 L W Nov 11 2016 M Ratification Kingdom of the Netherlands Apr 10 1972 L M W Jun 22 1981 L M W Ratification for the whole Kingdom New Zealand Apr 10 1972 L M W Dec 13 1972 W Dec 18 1972 L Jan 10 1973 M Ratification Nicaragua Apr 10 1972 L W Aug 7 1975 W Ratification Niger Apr 21 1972 W Jun 23 1972 W Ratification Nigeria Jul 3 1972 M Jul 10 1972 L Dec 6 1972 W Jul 3 1973 W Jul 9 1973 L Jul 20 1973 M Ratification Niue Jun 14 2018 W Accession North Korea Mar 13 1987 M Accession North Macedonia Dec 26 1996 M Mar 14 1997 L Apr 23 1997 W Succession from SFR Yugoslavia Norway Apr 10 1972 L M W Aug 1 1973 L W Aug 23 1973 M Ratification Oman Mar 31 1992 W Accession Pakistan Apr 10 1972 L M W Sep 25 1974 M Oct 3 1974 L W Ratification Palau Feb 20 2003 W Accession Palestine Jan 9 2018 L M Accession Panama May 2 1972 W Mar 20 1974 W Ratification Papua New Guinea Oct 27 1980 L Nov 13 1980 M Mar 16 1981 W Accession Paraguay Jun 9 1976 W Accession Peru Apr 10 1972 L M W Jun 5 1985 L M Jun 11 1985 W Ratification Philippines Apr 10 1972 L W Jun 21 1972 M May 21 1973 W Ratification Poland Apr 10 1972 L M W Jan 25 1973 L M W Ratification Portugal Jun 29 1972 W May 15 1975 L M W Ratification Qatar Nov 14 1972 L Apr 17 1975 L Ratification Romania Apr 10 1972 L M W Jul 25 1979 W Jul 26 1979 L Jul 27 1979 M Ratification Russia Apr 10 1972 L M W Mar 26 1975 L M W Ratification as Soviet Union Rwanda Apr 10 1972 M W May 20 1975 L M W Ratification Saint Kitts and Nevis Apr 2 1991 L Accession Saint Lucia Nov 26 1986 L Succession from United Kingdom Saint Vincent and the Grenadines May 13 1999 L Succession from United Kingdom Samoa Sep 21 2017 W Accession San Marino Sep 12 1972 W Jan 30 1973 M Mar 21 1973 L Mar 11 1975 L Mar 17 1975 W Mar 27 1975 M Ratification Sao Tome and Principe Aug 24 1979 M Accession Saudi Arabia Apr 12 1972 W May 24 1972 W Ratification Senegal Apr 10 1972 W Mar 26 1975 W Ratification Serbia Apr 27 1992 M Jun 5 2001 W Jun 13 2001 L Succession from SFR Yugoslavia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 25 October 1973 Succession from Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Oct 11 1979 L Oct 16 1979 W Oct 24 1979 M Accession Sierra Leone Nov 7 1972 W Nov 24 1972 L Jun 29 1976 L M W Ratification Singapore Jun 19 1972 L M W Dec 2 1975 L M W Ratification Slovakia Jan 1 1993 M May 17 1993 L Jun 10 1993 W Succession from Czechoslovakia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 30 April 1973 Slovenia Apr 7 1992 L M Aug 20 1992 W Succession from SFR Yugoslavia Solomon Islands Jun 17 1981 L Succession from United Kingdom South Africa Apr 10 1972 W Nov 3 1975 W Ratification South Korea Apr 10 1972 L W Jun 25 1987 L W Ratification South Sudan Feb 15 2023 W Accession Spain Apr 10 1972 L W Jun 20 1979 L W Ratification Sri Lanka Apr 10 1972 L M W Nov 18 1986 L M W Ratification Signed as Ceylon Sudan Oct 17 2003 L Oct 20 2003 M Nov 7 2003 W Accession Suriname Jan 6 1993 L M Apr 9 1993 W Accession Swaziland Jun 18 1991 L Accession Sweden Feb 27 1974 M Feb 27 1975 L W Feb 5 1976 L M W Ratification Switzerland Apr 10 1972 L M W May 4 1976 L M W Ratification Tajikistan Jun 27 2005 M Accession Tanzania Aug 16 1972 L Aug 14 2019 L Ratification Thailand Jan 17 1973 W May 28 1975 W Ratification Timor Leste May 5 2003 W Accession Togo Apr 10 1972 W Nov 10 1976 W Ratification Tonga Sep 28 1976 L Accession Trinidad and Tobago Jul 19 2007 L Accession Tunisia Apr 10 1972 L M W May 18 1973 W May 30 1973 M Jun 6 1973 L Ratification Turkey Apr 10 1972 L M W Oct 25 1974 M Nov 4 1974 L Nov 5 1974 W Ratification Turkmenistan Jan 11 1996 M Mar 8 1996 W Accession Tuvalu Jun 28 2024 W Accession Uganda May 12 1992 W Accession Ukraine Apr 10 1972 M Mar 26 1975 M Ratification as Ukrainian SSR United Arab Emirates Sep 28 1972 L Jun 19 2008 L Ratification United Kingdom Apr 10 1972 L M W Mar 26 1975 L M W Ratification United States Apr 10 1972 L M W Mar 26 1975 L M W Ratification Uruguay Apr 6 1981 W Accession Uzbekistan Jan 26 1996 M Accession Vanuatu Sep 6 2016 L Succession Venezuela Apr 10 1972 W Oct 18 1978 L M W Ratification Vietnam Apr 10 1972 M Jun 20 1980 M Ratification as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Signed by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and Republic of Vietnam on 10 April 1972 prior to Vietnamese reunification Yemen Apr 26 1972 M May 10 1972 L Jun 1 1979 M Ratification as South Yemen Also signed by North Yemen on 10 April 1972 prior to Yemeni unification Zambia Jan 15 2008 L Accession Zimbabwe Nov 5 1990 L Accession Notes The Chairman of the Meeting of the States Parties to the BWC reported that Burundi submitted an incomplete instrument of ratification in 2000 that the depositaries deemed to be legally insufficient to become a party to the treaty Croatia s effective date of succession was 8 October 1991 Dominica s effective date of succession was 3 November 1978 The Chairman of the Meeting of the States Parties to the BWC reported that Guinea submitted an instrument of accession in 2011 that the depositaries deemed to be legally insufficient to become a party to the treaty Montenegro s effective date of succession was 3 June 2006 Macedonia s effective date of succession was 17 November 1991 The FR Yugoslavia s later Serbia and Montenegro effective date of succession from the SFR Yugoslavia was 27 April 1992 while Serbia s effective date of succession from Serbia and Montenegro was 3 June 2006 Vanuatu s effective date of succession was 30 July 1980 State with limited recognition abiding by treatyThe Republic of China Taiwan which is currently only recognized by 11 UN member states 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 ROC to the People s Republic of China PRC 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 State Signed Deposited Method Republic of China Apr 10 1972 Feb 9 1973 RatificationSignatory statesThe following four states have signed but not ratified the BWC State Signed Ratification status Egypt Apr 10 1972 L M No action expected in near future Haiti Apr 10 1972 W Waiting for further information assistance or have other priorities Somalia Jul 3 1972 M Waiting for further information assistance or have other priorities Syria Apr 14 1972 M No action expected in near future Notes As per the 2024 Report of the Chairman on Universalization Activities to the Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction As of September 2017 a ratification bill had been approved by Haiti s Cabinet of Ministers and submitted to parliament Non signatory statesThe following five UN member states have neither signed nor ratified the BWC State Ratification status Chad Process started Djibouti Waiting for further information assistance or have other priorities Eritrea Waiting for further information assistance or have other priorities Israel No action expected in near future Kiribati Process well advanced Notes As per the 2024 Report of the Chairman on Universalization Activities to the Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction In June 2017 Parliamentarians for Global Action reported that Chad s National Assembly had recommended that the government ratify the agreement Kiribati is not listed as a party to the BWC in documents from the Meetings of the States Parties to the BWC but its status is unclear See further details on its succession to the BWC below In 2019 the Cabinet of Kiribati approved acceding to the treaty Succession of colonies to the BWCThe 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 to which 22 states are party newly independent states a euphemism for former colonies 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 a euphemism for all other new states the new state remains bound by the treaty obligations of the state from which they separated The United Kingdom attached a territorial declaration to their instrument of ratification of the BWC in 1975 stating in part that it applied to in respect of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Dominica and Territories under the territorial sovereignty of the United Kingdom as well as the State of Brunei the British Solomon Islands Protectorate and within the limits of the United Kingdom jurisdiction therein the Condominium of New Hebrides subsequently renamed Vanuatu This declaration bound the territory of Kiribati to the terms of the Convention Following its independence it has not made an unambiguous declaration of succession to the BWC Dominica Tuvalu and Vanuatu s statuses were likewise ambiguous from their independence until they formally submitted instruments of accession or succession to the treaty Kiribati In 1979 Kiribati gained their independence and subsequently the President of Kiribati sent a note to the UNSG stating that the Government of the Republic of Kiribati declares that with regard to multilateral treaties applied or extended to the former Gilbert Islands it will continue to apply the terms of each such treaty provisionally and on the basis of reciprocity until such time as it notifies the depositary authority of its decision with respect thereto Since then none of the depositaries for the BWC has 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 Dominica After becoming independent in 1978 the Prime Minister of Dominica sent a note to the Secretary General of the United Nations UNSG stating that The Government of Dominica declares that with regard to multilateral treaties applied or extended to the former British Associated State of Dominica it will continue to apply such terms of each treaty provisionally and on the basis of reciprocity until such time as it notifies the depositary authority of its decision in respect thereof 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 as depositary did not receive an instrument of succession from Dominica until 2016 Tuvalu Following independence in 1978 the Prime Minister of Tuvalu sent a note to the UNSC stating that The Government of Tuvalu desires that it should be presumed that each treaty purporting or deemed to bind Tuvalu before Independence has been legally succeeded to by Tuvalu and that action should be based on such presumption unless and until the Government of Tuvalu decides that any particular treaty should be treated as having lapsed Tuvalu acceded to the treaty as an independent state in 2024 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 See alsoList of parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention List of parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons List of parties to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty List of parties to the Treaty on the Non Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons List of parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons List of parties to the Ottawa Treaty List of parties to the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty List of parties to weapons of mass destruction treatiesReferences Disarmament Treaties Database Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2024 07 03 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction Foreign and Commonwealth Office Archived from the original on 2013 01 04 Retrieved 2015 02 10 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction Foreign and Commonwealth Office Retrieved 2019 04 27 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction United States Department of State 2018 10 09 Retrieved 2019 06 30 Konvenciya o zapreshenii razrabotki proizvodstva i nakopleniya zapasov bakteriologicheskogo biologicheskogo i toksinnogo oruzhiya i ob ih unichtozhenii in Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Retrieved 2025 04 04 Status of universalization of the Convention PDF Seventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction 2011 10 10 Retrieved 2014 10 12 Croatia Succession to Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2013 03 03 Montenegro Succession to Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2016 08 10 North Macedonia Succession to Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2019 03 12 Serbia Succession to Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2013 03 03 Serbia Succession to Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2013 03 03 UAE ratifies BWC United Nations Office at Geneva Retrieved 2008 07 29 Viet Nam Signature of Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2013 03 03 China Accession to Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2013 03 03 Report on universalization activities PDF Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction 2024 12 14 Retrieved 2024 11 08 Report on universalization activities PDF Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction 2017 09 25 Retrieved 2019 11 01 Maigre bilan du Parlement Pres d une vingtaine d instruments internationaux en souffrance 2018 11 19 Archived from the original on 2018 11 27 Retrieved 2018 11 26 Biological Weapons Disarmament Updates June 2017 Parliamentarians for Global Action 2017 06 28 Archived from the original on 2017 08 19 Retrieved 2017 07 04 Report on universalization activities1 PDF Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction 2021 09 23 Retrieved 2023 11 09 BWC Implementation Support Unit BWCISU 2019 11 24 We re pleased to have been informed that the Cabinet of the government in Kiribati has approved the country s accession to the BiologicalWeaponsConvention Tweet via Twitter United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Ratification of Biological Weapons Convention United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Retrieved 2013 07 26 Building a Global Ban Why States Have Not Joined the BWC PDF BioWeapons Prevention Project April 2009 Retrieved 2013 07 26 Report on universalization activities PDF Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological Biological and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction 2015 11 05 Archived from the original PDF on 2017 05 10 Retrieved 2017 10 31 Council Decision CFSP 2016 51 of 18 January 2016 in support of the Biological Weapons Convention Report Regional workshop to promote the universalisation of the BWC in the Pacific PDF 2017 07 28