This week, Tatenda Magetsi, ACRN’s Policy and Advocacy Manager is participating in the Biosafety and Biosecurity Legislative Review Workshop in Mutare, Zimbabwe.
Hosted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the workshop aims to review existing legislation and adopt the Regional Biosafety and Biosecurity (BSBS) Legal Framework to enhance Zimbabwe’s preparedness for biological threats and ensure compliance with international benchmarks.
Several African countries lack biosafety and biosecurity policies, and this workshop marks Zimbabwe as the sixth country to begin this domestication process. Sessions include legal mapping Zimbabwe’s regulatory landscape, identifying gaps, and developing a National Roadmap to strengthen BSBS frameworks.
ACRN advocates for improved oversight of high-consequence agents and toxins (HCATs) and for adopting harmonised legal instruments for safe research and diagnostics. The workshop will result in a domestication plan to inform policy reforms and enhance BSBS regulation and oversight, ultimately supporting safe research and innovation in Zimbabwe and Africa.
The weeklong workshop ends on Friday, 11 April 2025.
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