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Extraordinary advances being made in biotechnology
bring enormous benefits to society and strengthen
the defense against biological risks regardless of
their origin. But such advances also bring potential
for accidents, sabotage or misuse. To ensure that
the public has confidence that these risks are being
properly managed, there is a need to develop a
professional approach to biosafety and biosecurity
wherever the life sciences are practiced.
The Biosafety and Biosecurity International
Conference (BBIC) Process aims to do this for the
Middle East and North Africa region. It brings
together experts from the countries of the Middle
East and North Africa (MENA) region to assist them
in identifying the biological risks to which their
communities are exposed and to mitigate them through
the development of national and regional biosafety
and biosecurity strategies underpinned by
legislative, human and physical infrastructure. The
Process comprises biennial conferences, local
governance structures, technical workshops and
working groups, national and regionsal biosafety
associations, scientific advisory panels and
regional biosafety training. The overarching theme
of the Process is 'Healthier and More Secure
Communities in the Middle East and North Africa'. |
