Kenya rallies African nations to tighten biosecurity laws amid rise of biological weapons

Kenya has urged African countries to fast-track stronger biosecurity laws as scientific and technological innovations - particularly artificial intelligence and synthetic biology - rapidly evolve, lowering global barriers to the potential development of biological weapons.

Speaking on behalf of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi during the opening of the Africa Regional Workshop on the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Nairobi, Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak said the continent must prioritise preparedness, policy reforms and investment in biosecurity.

Prof. Abdulrazak told delegates from 49 African countries that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed serious vulnerabilities that Africa must urgently address.

“We need to put relevant policies, regulations and investments in place. Kenya already has the biosafety bill, and we are now finalising the biosecurity bill so that we are better prepared in case of any future pandemic,” he said.

He added that infectious diseases “do not know borders,” calling for stronger cross-border collaboration to ensure all African states can effectively detect, prevent and respond to biological threats.

Kenya also hopes the meeting will encourage countries that have not yet ratified the Biological Weapons Convention to join the treaty.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, who addressed the meeting, noted that while scientific progress has tremendous benefits, it also introduces new risks that must be carefully managed.

“Scientific advances bring great benefits to humankind, but we must develop guardrails so they do not impact negatively on peace and security,” she said.

“It is increasingly easier to acquire biological weapons, and we must act collectively to prevent that.”

Nakamitsu stated that the UN is working closely with African nations to build capacity in biosafety, biosecurity, cyber security and other emerging technology fields.

She emphasized that African voices are crucial as global negotiations on strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention continue.

The three-day workshop aims to boost Africa’s role in shaping global biosecurity standards while ensuring countries have the training, regulations and resources needed to use biology safely, responsibly and for socio-economic development.