NTI endeavor spurs pledges to advance global biosecurity strength

Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) officials indicated its recent Global Biosecurity Dialogue resulted in participants pledging to take 12 specific actions to advance global biosecurity along with eight jointly developed priority areas.

More than 170 government officials, health and biosecurity experts and professionals, civil society leaders, and representatives from global and regional organizations from nearly 40 countries attended the virtual session gathered virtually in February.

The themes focused on biosecurity capability development, emerging biological risks, and biosecurity policy frameworks. NTI plans to reconvene the Global Biosecurity Dialogue in Autumn 2021 and will work with partners in the interim to make progress on committed actions.

The Global Biosecurity Dialogue complements existing international efforts to prevent, detect and respond to biological threats, including the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the Global Health Security Agenda.

Additionally, supporters noted the endeavor serves as a leadership model for identifying new actions and promoting change within other elements of health security.

The Dialogue’s proposed actions, per the closing plenary session, seek the establishment of an Action Accelerator Vehicle comprised of regional subject matter experts (SMEs) to provide technical support for the national implementation of biosafety and biosecurity commitments of regional governance structures.

Additionally, the launching of an Exemplary Laboratory project to build biosafety and
biosecurity capabilities with a corresponding plan for sustainment and expansion.