Global Biosecurity Dialogue Convenes in Cape Town to Improve Biosecurity and Address Emerging Risks

NTI | bio convened approximately 50 high-level biosecurity experts and policymakers from across the public, private, and civilian sectors, including global and regional organizations, for the 5th Global Biosecurity Dialogue (GBD) in Cape Town, South Africa. The in-person meeting—the first since 2019—was held November 7-9 and focused on accelerating global actions to reduce risks of deliberate biological events.

As part of its design, the GBD brings together diverse stakeholders to develop a shared perception of risk to drive action and fix gaps in the areas of biosecurity that leave us most vulnerable. This year’s Dialogue included an in-depth discussion around the emerging risks that advances in technology pose, highlighting the need for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to incentivize actions that improve safety and security.

Throughout the three-day meeting, participants worked together across the areas of emerging risk, capability development, and biosecurity policy to develop creative solutions that protect against man-made pandemics. Participants resolved to take the following actions to advance biosecurity in 2023 and beyond:

• Launch a biosecurity advocacy agenda
• Optimize impactful biosecurity collaboration at the regional level
• Create transparent biosecurity systems with clear performance indicators
• Incentivize actions that reduce emerging biological risks associated with advances in technology
• Foster the next generation of biosecurity leaders

Accidental and deliberate biological risks are increasing as technological progress accelerates without appropriate safeguards and as disinformation runs rampant. Yet, there is no sustainable commitment to invest in biosecurity capabilities at global and national levels. Amid this evolving risk environment, NTI | bio will work with partners to advance the actions committed during this year’s Dialogue to build a world that is safer and more secure against catastrophic biological events.

The Global Biosecurity Dialogue provides a forum for robust collaboration among global, regional, and national partners to advance biosecurity capacity, policy, and action worldwide. It is complementary to efforts such as the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the Global Health Security Agenda. This meeting series was made possible by generous support from Global Affairs Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program and Open Philanthropy.