Africa Health Security Index
Improving epidemic and pandemic preparedness and strengthening biosecurity in Africa.
About
Biological threats – whether natural, accidental or deliberate — can kill millions, cost billions, and create political and economic instability in individual countries and around the world. The risks and consequences of a global catastrophic biological event can be magnified by weak global health security, increasing urbanization and travel, growing terrorist interest in weapons of mass destruction, and rapid advances in technology that enable newly developed or manipulated pathogens with pandemic potential.
To reduce these risks and strengthen biosecurity, NTI | bio works with governments, industry, academia, international organizations and NGOs to foster multilateral dialogue, identify weaknesses, and promote systemic change to improve biotechnology governance and national health security capacities.
NTI offers solutions through a range of projects. Among them:
- Global Health Security Index: Launched in 2019, the GHS Index is the first comprehensive assessment of the health security capacities of 195 countries. The second edition, now in development, will be released in December.
- Global Biological Catastrophic Risks: NTI | bio’s multi-faceted work in this area includes building a stronger case for decision-makers to prioritize action to counter catastrophic biological risks; establishing new forums focused on preventing the development and use of biological weapons by powerful actors; strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention; and developing innovative solutions for early detection and rapid response.
- Global Biosecurity Dialogue: To identify way to advance international biosecurity — and measure those advances — NTI | bio brings together senior officials from ministries of foreign affairs, health, defense, agriculture and other relevant sectors to build cross-border collaboration; increase the number of countries providing national, regional, or global financial and technical support to strengthen biosecurity; and promote new actions and investments among senior officials to mitigate emerging biological risks.
Projects
AIxBio Global Forum
Facilitating international governance to reduce biosecurity risks at the convergence of AI and the life sciences.
Biosecurity Dialogues
Reducing the risks of biological misuse and enhancing global security
Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction Initiative
Advances in biotechnology outpace national governments’ ability to provide needed oversight to prevent accidents or deliberate misuse of dangerous biological agents.
Global Catastrophic Biological Risks
Preventing global catastrophic biological risks (GCBRS)
Global Health Security Index
An assessment and benchmarking of health security and related capabilities across 195 countries.
International Bio Funders Compact
Incorporating biosecurity reviews into bioscience and biotechnology funding processes.
Next Generation for Biosecurity
Fostering the Next Generation of Global Biosecurity Leaders
Reducing AIxBio Risks
Strengthening AI governance to prevent misuse of AI-enabled tools for engineering living systems
Reducing State Biological Weapons Risks
Strengthening international capabilities to uphold the norm against bioweapons development and use.
Program Staff
News & Analysis
U.S. and Chinese Experts Find Common Ground on Guardrails for AI in Biology
NTI | bio and the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University convened a virtual dialogue on risks at the convergence of artificial intelligence and the life sciences (AIxBio).
85% of Registered Voters Support the United States Working with China to Mitigate AI Risks, according to New Poll
New YouGov polling commissioned by NTI and ReThink Media finds that nearly 80 percent of registered voters, across party lines, say it is in the interest of U.S. national security to work with China to mitigate catastrophic threats associated with nuclear risks, AI development, and bioterrorism.
NTI, Concordia AI Launch International Working Group to Improve Biological Capability Evaluations
NTI | bio and Concordia AI, with technical input from SecureBio, have launched the AIxBio Technical Working Group on Evaluation Practice. Convened through the AIxBio Global Forum, the Working Group will bring together experts from organizations in China, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States that develop or conduct biological capability evaluations of AI systems.
NTI Engages Senior Congressional Staff with New Congressional Leadership Project (CLP)
A bipartisan, bicameral group of 17 senior congressional staff completed the inaugural edition of NTI’s new Congressional Leadership Project.
The Africa Health Security Index
The Index documents continent-wide gains across laboratory systems, biosurveillance, biosecurity and biosafety, manufacturing, and emergency response.