EU Charge d’Affaires, Eva-Maria Engdahl, said this on 13 November 2024 at the opening of a two-day Awareness and Capacity-Building Workshop on the Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention held at Hilton Garden hotel in Mbabane.

Engdahl said the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) plays an indispensable role in the global disarmament landscape and in fostering peace and security globally.

She then commended the Kingdom of Eswatini for making significant steps toward implementing the BWC, particularly through the recent appointment in July 2024 of the country’s first National Contact Point at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. This appointment, according to Engdahl, marks an important commitment to advancing biosecurity practices in Eswatini and improving national coordination in countering biological risks.

“We are, indeed, congratulating Eswatini on its commitment to implementing the Biological Weapons Convention and taking tangible steps toward stronger national biosecurity. This workshop represents a meaningful milestone, one that strengthens not only Eswatini’s capacity but also regional cooperation in countering biological threats,” said Engdahl.

She added that the European Union (EU), alongside its 27 Member States, was fully committed to supporting global biosafety and biosecurity efforts, hence the EU was also proud to support the Eswatini workshop as part of its broader commitment to global disarmament efforts, with specific support for the Biological Weapons Convention.

The EU, according to Engdahl, has provided over Euro 12 million (approx. SZL 240 million) in direct support of the BWC. She further said the EU was also proud to support initiatives such as the Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship, ensuring that the next generation of scientists, especially from the Global South, are equipped to advise their governments on biosecurity and safety matters.