Secretary-General Calls for Political Resolve to Strengthen Biosecurity, Ensure Science Advances Peace, at Global Biological Threat Reduction Conference

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres' message for the Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction, held in Geneva today:

Biological threats have the potential to cross borders and claim lives indiscriminately - posing a grave and growing risk to global health and security.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed us the crippling impact pathogens can have in times of peace. But they are even more devastating when weaponized for war.

Rapid advances in technology make the accidental or deliberate misuse of biology more and more likely.

Our safety lies in recognizing the intrinsic links between human, animal and planetary health.

This means protecting habitats and ecosystems - including wild and domesticated animals - to prevent transmission across species.

And it means addressing emerging and evolving threats through improving processes, as outlined in Pact for the Future.

I commend the World Organization for Animal Health for convening this important conference, which marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the 100^th anniversary of the Geneva Protocol.

Now it is our turn to build on these visionary agreements. We must summon the political resolve to strengthen biosecurity and prevent the potential misuse of biotechnology.

There is no margin for error, and no time to waste. Let us act with urgency to ensure that science advances peace - not peril.