An OSCE-supported national workshop on the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) was held in Ashgabat from 20 to 22 January 2026. The event was organized in partnership with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) for the BWC, in close collaboration with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, Support Unit of the OSCE Secretariat's Forum for Security Co-operation, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
The workshop brought together, in-person, law enforcement, border security officials and healthcare professionals, including stakeholders from academia. The event aimed to strengthen national capacities for the effective implementation of the BWC and to enhance inter-agency co-ordination.
Opening remarks were delivered by the Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, representative of the Ministry of Healthcare and the Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, Chargé d'affaires of the British Embassy in Ashgabat, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Turkmenistan, and a representative of the BWC ISU.
In her opening address, Olivera Zurovac-Kuzman, Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, emphasized the importance of regional co-operation stating: "The OSCE works in line with priorities of the Government of Turkmen to foster greater bilateral and regional co-operation among all national officials and experts involved in biosafety and biosecurity in the participating States."
Zurovac-Kuzman further underlined the global responsibility to prevent proliferation adding: "In order to promote international peace, security and stability, every country must strengthen existing norms against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and apply a comprehensive range of measures to address proliferation issues."
The workshop served as a platform to raise awareness about the BWC in Turkmenistan and contribute to its enhanced national implementation. Participants received practical training on the preparation of annual Confidence-Building Measures reports and learnt about international assistance and co-operation opportunities to further strengthen biosecurity systems.
The event featured leading subject matter experts from the OSCE and UN agencies, including UNODA, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, as well as technical experts from Hungary and Tajikistan, and representatives from regional / international organizations such as WHO and International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.
The workshop was conducted within the framework of the Centre's extrabudgetary project "Strengthening State Border Service Capacities of Turkmenistan" and was financially supported by the United Kingdom and the European Union.
