Former Health CS Cleopa Mailu has been elected to chair a world summit on weapons, the Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (BWC) 2020.
Mailu is currently Kenya's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
The elections were held on Thursday, June 11, and the announcement made by his office through its social media pages.
"This morning, Dr Cleopa Mailu was elected as the Chair of the 2020 Meeting of States Parties to the Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (BWC), affirming Kenya's credentials in the area of disarmament and international peace and security," the statement stated.
BWC was designed to ban biological weapons by prohibiting the development, production, and stockpiling of biological agents and related equipment as well as delivery systems that are intended for hostile use.
The treaty was signed on April 10, 1972, and took effect on March 26, 1975, with 22 state members, including the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia.
It was the first disarmament treaty to completely ban an entire class of weapons (the biological weapons class).
Other roles of BWC include solving issues within state parties in relation to weapons. Consultation and investigations during this process are initiated by the United Nation's Security Council.
BWC comprises of 183 states and meets after every five years.
On August 2019, Tanzania became the 183rd State Party to the treaty.
