Our Expertise

Biosafety & Biosecurity

Different initiatives highlighted many gaps in biosafety and biosecurity (BSBS) systems of the Member States (MS) of the African Union.

These initiatives include the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of the World Health Organization (WHO) between 2016 and 2019, the 2019 Global Health Security Index report, and Member State consultations led by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) between 2019 and 2021. In addition, recent epidemics and pandemics and the increasing risk of the terrorist threat have clearly demonstrated the importance of a regional and coordinated initiative for the strengthening of African Union MS BSBS systems.

Africa CDC launched the BSBS Initiative in May 2019 with the goal to ‘Strengthen the biosecurity and biosafety systems of African Union Member States to comply with international regulations including the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540 and the GHSA action packages (APP3).’

  • 55 Member States: Representing African Union Member States targeted by the BSBS initiative.
  • 1 Regional Framework: Creation and implementation of a Regional BSBS Legislative Framework.
  • May 2019: Launch of the BSBS Initiative by Africa CDC.

To ensure a coordinated approach and efficient use of available resources, a Biosafety and Biosecurity 5-Year Strategic plan was developed to prioritize the following areas as identified by Member States during a 2 year consultative process:

 Establishment and operationalization of Regional Biosafety and Biosecurity Technical Working Groups tasked with coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the BSBS initiative.

Development and operationalization of a Regional BSBS Legislative Framework that will create a conducive environment for compliance to requirements.

Development and implementation of a Regional Training and Certification Program for BSBS professionals in the Africa Region, turning BSBS into a professional program.

Development of a Regulatory and Certification Program for Institutions handling High Risk pathogens.

Strengthening BSBS capacities of National Public Health Institutions (NPHI) and National Reference Laboratories (NRL) to enable the prevent, detect and respond effectively to emergencies.