Dar es Salaam Model United Nations 2024

Forum: ECOSOC
Issue: Prevention and control measures for potential use of biological warfare
Student Officer: Sammara Chande
Position: President chair

Introduction
Biological warfare, which is the use of pathogens to kill or harm humans, plants, or animals, poses
a huge threat to global security. Unlike conventional weapons, Biological weapons can spread rapidly and
cause devastating amounts of death in a short time. They can also lead to epidemics and are very hard to
detect. Throughout history, various countries have utilized these weapons of mass destruction, making
prevention and control efforts increasingly urgent. Due to modern advancements in biotechnology and
biochemistry it has simplified the development and production of these weapons. Outbreaks could cause
severe long-lasting effects on public health, economies, and political stability. This underlines the need for
strong international strategies to address the potential biological threats.

Definition of Key Terms

Biological warfare
The use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, insects, and fungi with
the intent to kill, harm or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war.
Prevention
The act of stopping something from happening or of stopping someone from doing something.
Pathogen
An infectious agent, or a germ.
Bioterrorism
the intentional use of microorganisms to bring about ill effects or death to humans, livestock, or
crops.
Anthrax
an infectious disease caused by an encapsulated, spore-forming, gram-variable bacteria called
Bacillus anthracis.
 Dar es Salaam Model United Nations 2024

Background Information information

In 1347, one of the earliest known instances of biological warfare took place when Mongol forces
reportedly catapulted plague-infected bodies over the walls of the black sea port of Caffa (Which is
present day Feodosia, Ukraine). This is incident is considered an example of biological warfare
Origins of biological warfare
In 1347, one of the earliest known instances of biological warfare took place when Mongol forces
reportedly catapulted plague-infected bodies over the walls of the black sea port of Caffa (Which is
present day Feodosia, Ukraine). Historians believe that ships from the besieged city brought the plague
back to Italy, triggering the Black death pandemic that spread across Europe over the next four years and
killed around 25 million people.The Mongol forces deliberately used disease as a weapon against their
enemies.
Advancements in biological weapons
Biological weapons have a long history, with notable instances of their use dating back to the 14th
century. However, the scale and sophistication of biological warfare increased dramatically during the
20th century. The Japanese military conducted extensive biological warfare experiments during World
War II, using pathogens like anthrax and plague against Chinese civilians and prisoners of war, resulting
in thousands of deaths. This prompted other nations, including the United States, to initiate their own
biological weapons programs to understand and counter these threats. The United States has established
programs that focus on developing agents such as anthrax and Botulinum toxin but was never used in
conflict. This program was established in 1949 but shut down by President Nixon in 1969. Following its
closure the United States shifted its focus towards defensive measures like vaccines and immunization
strategies against potential biological threats.We have seen significant advancements in genetic
engineering and biotechnology, enabling the modification of pathogens for more effective use as
weapons. This includes creating multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria and enhancing toxins for greater
lethality.
Threats and importance of prevention measures

Major Countries and Organizations Involved

United states
The United States plays an important role in global efforts to prevent biological warfare primarily
through its endorsement of international treaties like the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and
initiatives aimed at enhancing public health infrastructure. The government has invested heavily in
biodefense programs and emergency response capabilities following events like the September 11th
attacks.

World Health Organization (WHO)

The WHO is known for its role in coordinating international responses to health emergencies,
 Dar es Salaam Model United Nations 2024

including those arising from biological threats. Its role includes developing guidelines for preparedness and
response as well as facilitating research on vaccines and treatments for potential biological events.

Timeline of Events

Date (start - end) Name Description

October 1347 Siege of Caffa One of the earliest uses of biological warfare when
Mongol forces threw plague-infested corpses over
the walls for Caffa. This is said to have contributed
to the spread of the Black Death in Europe.

June 1754 - 1767 Smallpox blanket incident Smallpox was used as a biological weapon during
the French and Indian wars. Soldiers distributed
blankets that had been used by smallpox patients
with the intent of initiating outbreaks among
American Indians. This then led to an epidemic
killing more than 50% of infected tribes

1914-1918 World War I During World War I, Germany used biological

warfare agents for sabotage. They infected horses
that were being shipped to allies with anthrax.

September 22, Cherry blossoms at night This was a Japanese plane to wage biological
1945 warfare against cities in southern california. This
was retaliation for the United States firebombing
Japanese cities. The plan was for the Japanese to
drop “bombs” containing millions of plague infected
fleas. Though the operation was never executed
due to Japan's surrender in August

30 July 1971 Smallpox outbreak in Aralsk The outbreak of this viral disease occurred due to a
field test at a Soviet Biological weapons facility on
an island in the Aral sea.The outbreak was able to
remain private as the soviet health authorities did
not report it to the WHO as required under
international agreement.

March 20, 1995 Aum Shinrikyo Cult Attack A cult called Aum Shinrikyo attempted to use
biological weapons like anthrax and other pathogens
 Dar es Salaam Model United Nations 2024

as part of its campaign of terror, as they believed the

world was going to end. This included a sarin attack
on Tokyo's subway system affecting 5,800 people and
killing 13.

October 2001 Anthrax attacks Soon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks letters
containing anthrax spores were sent through the
mail in the United States. This resulted in 5 deaths
and 17 got sick. This became known as the worst
biological attack in U.S history and prompted
changes in U.S biodefense policies and highlighted
vulnerability in public health.

Add more rows as needed (~10 recommended)

Relevant UN Treaties and Events

When listing past UN Resolutions, it is suggested that you make use of bullet points and the specified
format below:
● Biological weapons convention, 10 April 1972 (BWC)
● United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, 28 April 2004 (S/RES/1540)
● Global Health Security Agenda, 2014 (GHSAG)

Previous Attempts to solve the Issue

BWC (Biological Weapons Convention)
The BWC represents an effort to prohibit biological weapons globally. It prohibits the development,
production, and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons and was opened for signature on 10 April 1972.
It entered into force on the 26th of March 1975. It has nearly universal membership with 187 States Parties
as of now. However, it lacks enforcement mechanisms and this hinders its effectiveness.
1925 Geneva Protocol
This protocol was created in June 1925 and it prohibits the use of chemical and biological weapons
in war, but does not ban their development or possession. It provides a good framework but has limitations
due to reservations made by other countries.
Australia group
This group was established in 1985 and is aimed at preventing the proliferation of chemical and
biological weapons. The group consists of 43 countries that seek to ensure that exports do not contribute to
the development of chemical or biological weapons.
 Dar es Salaam Model United Nations 2024

Possible Solutions
Sub-topic 1: Strengthening international treaties
One option is to enhance the enforcement of existing treaties like the BWC. This can be done
through regular inspections and accountability measures for signatory countries.

Sub-topic 2: Enhancing public health infrastructure

Another option is investing in public health systems globally. This is essential for effective responses
to biological threats. This can include improving surveillance systems for early detection of outbreaks and
ensuring rapid vaccine development capabilities.

Sub-topic 3: Promoting research collaboration

Encouraging collaboration between governments and industry can lead to innovative solutions for
biodefense.This can also mitigate risks associated with knowledge proliferation.

Bibliography
All citations must be in MLA format and listed in alphabetical order. You may use www.noodletools.com
or www.easybib.com to generate your bibliography.

Works Cited

Alibek, Ken. "Smallpox: A Disease and a Weapon." International Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 8, Oct.

2004, pp. 3–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2004.09.004.

American Experience, PBS. "A History of Biological Weapons." American Experience | PBS, 3 June 2019,

www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/weapon-timeline.

"Amerithrax or Anthrax Investigation." Federal Bureau of Investigation, 17 Apr. 2022,

www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/amerithrax-or-anthrax-investigation.

The Australia Group — the Australia Group.

www.dfat.gov.au/publications/minisite/theaustraliagroupnet/site/en/index.html.

BBC News. "Aum Shinrikyo: The Japanese Cult Behind the Tokyo Sarin Attack." BBC News, 6 July 2018,

www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35975069.
 Dar es Salaam Model United Nations 2024

"Biological Weapons, Bioterrorism, and Vaccines." History of Vaccines,

historyofvaccines.org/vaccines-101/ethical-issues-and-vaccines/biological-weapons-bioterrorism-and

-vaccines.

Bioterrorism - Overview | OSHA.gov | Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

www.osha.gov/bioterrorism.

Frischknecht, Friedrich. "The History of Biological Warfare." EMBO Reports, vol. 4, no. S1, May 2003,

https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.embor.embor849.

H-057-2: Operation Cherry Blossoms at Night.

www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-057/h-057-2.ht

ml.

1925 Geneva Protocol – UNODA. disarmament.unoda.org/wmd/bio/1925-geneva-protocol.

Prevention. 23 Oct. 2024, dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/prevention.

Riedel, Stefan. "Biological Warfare and Bioterrorism: A Historical Review." Baylor University Medical

Center Proceedings, vol. 17, no. 4, Oct. 2004, pp. 400–06.

https://doi.org/10.1080/08998280.2004.11928002.

Roffey, R., et al. "Biological Warfare in a Historical Perspective." Clinical Microbiology and Infection, vol.

8, no. 8, Aug. 2002, pp. 450–54. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-0691.2002.00501.x.

Schneider, Barry R. "Biological Weapon | Types, Effects and History." Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Sept.

2024, www.britannica.com/technology/biological-weapon/Biological-weapons-in-history.

Simonsen, Kari A., and Kingshuk Chatterjee. "Anthrax." StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf, 25 July 2023,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507773.

What Are Biological Weapons? – UNODA.

disarmament.unoda.org/biological-weapons/about/what-are-biological-weapons.

Wikipedia contributors. "Pathogen." Wikipedia, 11 Mar. 2012, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogen.

Wikipedia contributors. "Biological Warfare." Wikipedia, 22 Oct. 2024,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_warfare.
 Dar es Salaam Model United Nations 2024

World Health Organization: WHO. Biological Weapons. 4 Dec. 2019,

www.who.int/health-topics/biological-weapons#tab=tab_1.