Nigeria Reaffirms Biosecurity Commitment at Global WOAH Conference

News in Brief:

-Nigeria reaffirmed its biosecurity commitment at the WOAH Global Conference in Geneva, sharing lessons from its anthrax outbreak.

-The country emphasised One Health collaboration and stronger veterinary infrastructure to tackle biological threats.

Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing biosecurity and reducing biological threats during the Third Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction. Organised by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) in Geneva, Switzerland, the three-day event brought together more than 400 global experts from the animal health, security, and research sectors.

Nigeria Shares Lessons from Anthrax Outbreak

Representing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Ishiyaku Mohammed Musa, Director of Sanitary Mandate and Climate Change, presented a paper titled The Re-emergence of Anthrax in Nigeria: Lessons for Biological Threat Reduction.

Dr Musa highlighted Nigeria’s response to recent anthrax outbreaks, emphasising the importance of early warning systems, coordinated surveillance, and robust veterinary services in tackling biological threats. He noted that sustainable threat mitigation can only be achieved through a One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health.

He further reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to strengthening veterinary infrastructure, laboratory capacity, and regional collaboration to prevent future biological incidents and improve national health security.

UN Calls for Stronger Global Biosecurity

In his special address, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that biological threats are increasingly capable of crossing borders and 'claiming lives indiscriminately.' He urged world leaders to ensure that science 'advances peace, not peril,' underscoring the urgent need for political will to prevent the misuse of biotechnology.

Guterres also linked biosecurity to environmental protection, stating that safeguarding habitats and ecosystems, including both wild and domesticated animals, is critical to global health resilience.

A Global Push for One Health Preparedness

The WOAH conference coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the 100th anniversary of the Geneva Protocol. It provided a platform for nations, including Nigeria, to reaffirm their commitment to One Health preparedness, promoting collaboration across animal and public health systems to safeguard global food security and human well-being.