Biosecurity and biosafety remain critical issues in the global policy landscape, particularly in light of the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America. However, efforts to harness the public health and economic advantages of biotechnology advancements must protect against the intentional misuse or negligent handling of biological agents and equipment. Policymakers must ensure that scientists, biotech companies and others who use or sell sensitive biological materials and equipment do not accidentally release a dangerous pathogen or transfer these materials to illicit non-state actors or terrorists, potentially causing another pandemic or helping foreign states or terrorist organizations in acquiring the means to produce biological weapons.
Recognizing this critical need, the European Union has been working with the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism of the Organization of American States (CICTE/OAS) on a multi-year project to help Latin American and Caribbean countries fulfill their legal obligations under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004). “Strengthening Biosecurity Latin America in line with UNSCR 1540 (2004).” The project will span 36 months and provide training to support the capacity of participating Latin American countries to anticipate and respond effectively to biological incidents. During the first phase, CICTE/OAS collaborated with the University of Maryland’s START Center on a regional threat assessment, country-specific case studies and training programs.
The School of Public Policy Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) and Office of Executive Programs joined forces with Regional Coordinator UNSCR1540 of CICTE/OAS, Marcelo Martínez, to host the kickoff event for phase two of the project. Representatives from eleven Latin American countries along with delegates from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the European Union were in attendance. It opened a two-day workshop to raise awareness about biosecurity risks, identify needs and plan a series of activities over the next three years. The goal is to help participating Latin American countries strengthen their capacity to anticipate, prevent and respond to deliberate and inadvertent biosecurity risks while promoting public health, economic development and scientific advancement.
This project was organized with the help of Visiting Clinical Professor Julio Guzman. Guzman, an expert in politics, democracy and trade and development in Latin America, was involved as part of a larger effort to connect policymakers from Latin America with SPP faculty and students working on complex multi-stakeholder governance challenges.
“Our joint objective between the School and the OAS is to deepen research on the production of biological weapons, raise awareness about the risks this poses in the hemisphere, build human capacity within governments and place this issue on the political agenda of the countries involved,” shared Guzman.
More broadly, bringing international organizations and security experts to campus for meetings and joint activities expands opportunities for SPP students to “participate in impactful research projects, secure internships with international organizations and foreign governments and build their professional network.”
