Weekly Report: 2011-04-11 to 04-16 - BWC / ISDR

Still catching up !

BWC: This week was largely taken up by the BWC Preparatory Committee, which sorted out the agenda and topics for the BWC 7th RevCom to be held in Geneva this coming December.  A leading concern on the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), is Article X, on cooperation and assistance.  ASEAN delivered a joint statement.  We had been busy meeting and coordinating with fellow delegations for the organization of the BWC "Superweek" to be held in Makati City in late June,  Later in the year, in June,for the ASEAN and Asia-Pacific Community.  We are bringing together a series of workshops and seminars which would otherwise be held separately throughout the year, on the following themes: (1) preparation for the RevCon, (2) bio science and technology, (3) BWC confidence building measures, and (4) national implementing legislation for the BWC.  Among are partners for this activity are the BWC-ISU, the US State Department / Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP), the European Union -Joint Action on the BWC, and VERTIC.  We are also asking our other friends in the region to join us in this project.  We strongly feel we can benefit by encouraging synergy, through this week of activity, among our biosecurity and biosafety processes and stakeholders: parliamentarians, diplomats, scientists, the security sector, academe, industry, and so on.  We need to bring together our various communities tackling various aspects of BWC work, on the national, regional and global levels. 

ISDR: We were also quite busy with preparations for the ISDR Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction  to be held in Geneva from 9-13 May 2011. The GP is DRR's highest-level conference, and is held every two years.  We will have quite a high-powered and large delegation from the Philippines, including Secretary Dinky Soliman, Governor Joey Salceda, Congressman Mel Senen Sarmiento, and other LGU officials and civil society members.  Representing the Office of Civil Defense will be EXO Ronald Flores, who will be joined by colleagues from NEDA and DoF. I was invited to speak on Private Sector cooperation during the GP.