|
Final Statement Biosafety and Biosecurity International Conference 2009 (BBIC09)
4 April 2009
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Casablanca
A significant step towards promoting healthier and more secure communities in MENA was taken by
regional leaders and international experts in Casablanca this week. Recognizing the need to address
the threat posed by pandemics, major biological incidents or accidents, some 100 participants from
37 countries agreed upon a plan of action for improving the region’s preparedness and ability to
respond.
The Biosafety and Biosecurity International Conference (BBIC09) “Healthier and More Secure
Communities in the Middle East and North African Region” was co‐hosted by the Moroccan Ministry
of Education, Higher Education, Training and Scientific Research and the International Council for the
Life Sciences, and was sponsored by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi and the Royal Scientific
Society of Jordan. It built upon the work of the very successful BBIC07 Conference held in Abu
Dhabi. Read more
Framework Document Prepared by: ICLS with the assistance of a core group of experts from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
"Developing Regional and National Biosafety and Biosecurity Strategies for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)" More than 100 participants from around the world convened in Abu Dhabi, UAE from 12-14
November 2007 for Biosafety and Biosecurity International Conference 2007 (BBIC 2007): A
Seminar for the Life Sciences and Policy Communities in the MENA Region.
Conference participants explored biosafety, biosecurity, environmental health and infectious disease
issues specific to the MENA region1 and interacted with experts from other parts of the world. The conference’s recommendations can be grouped under five main themes: • Building human resources;
• Building national and regional legal, institutional and physical infrastructure;
• Developing national and regional capacity for prevention and preparedness;
• Improving opportunities for scientists and industry to participate in policy-making;
• Monitoring and reporting on implementation of recommendations. In order to carry out these recommendations, a core group of participants worked together to agree
an action plan to carry out the conference outcomes, including the development of a framework for
a regional biosafety and biosecurity strategy, and to begin planning BBIC 2009, hosted in
Casablanca, Morocco from April 2-4, 2009. The conference featured the following themes for the MENA region:
• Developing and Implementing Strategies for Biosafety and Biosecurity at the National and
Regional level
• Confronting Biological Risks
• Strengthening Infectious Disease Surveillance
• Regional Training Centers for Biosafety, Biosecurity and Infectious Disease
• Institutional, Physical and Legal Infrastructures to Manage Biological Risks
The framework served as the basis for discussion at the Biosafety and Biosecurity International
Conference 2009. As a result of those discussions, some amendments to the framework were
suggested and the conference adopted the amended framework by acclamation.
Read more |