Read more about the author: Anastasia Trataris-Rebisz In South Africa, biorisk is governed by multiple regulations across several departments, including the national departments of Health, Agriculture, and Employment and Labour, as well as the Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction under the auspices of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. Furthermore, issues pertaining to the classification of biological hazards, risk assessment, control measures and the establishment of facility safety committees are covered under Government Notice R1882 of 2022 on Regulations for Hazardous Biological Agents. These regulations align with international treaties and regulatory frameworks on biorisk, such as the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (UN1540) and the International Health Regulations. In terms of capacity development, several professionals in South Africa are certified by the International Federation of Biosafety Associations. Furthermore, South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases established the Regional Diagnostic Demonstration Centre, an Africa CDC Regional Centre of Excellence for Biosafety and Biosecurity, to train and certify professionals from the southern African region and other countries. Biosafety and biosecurity are not barriers to scientific collaboration or public health action; rather, BRM enables mechanisms that make collaboration safe, credible and sustainable. As One Health initiatives continue to expand globally, integrating biosafety and biosecurity into all aspects of strengthening the health system is essential for protecting people, animals and the environment. Figure 1. Biosafety and biosecurity operate at the intersection of human, animal and environmental health, enabling safe collaboration and reducing biological risks across the One Health system. 20
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