Developing Multistakeholder Engagement to Strengthen Biosecurity

Strengthening biosecurity is critical for preventing the misuse of life sciences and achieving the goals of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). However, the global biosecurity landscape is hindered by fragmented efforts, inconsistent regulations, and limited resources, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and regions. Addressing biosecurity challenges requires active engagement of diverse stakeholders, including government, international organizations, academia, professional associations, industry, and civil society organizations. All of these stakeholders play key and complementary roles in different aspects of biosecurity. In this article, we examine 4 case studies for multistakeholder engagements and analyze major stakeholders for their relevant biosecurity roles, strengths, and limitations. We also provide policy recommendations and practical steps to fully realize the potential of multistakeholder engagement, including building networks and coalitions of stakeholders, creating educational and training initiatives, advocating for biosecurity standards, and improving communication channels that are suited to the interests of stakeholders. Additionally, we highlight the importance of having an inclusive and diverse representation of stakeholders. Multistakeholder engagement could enhance biosecurity and lower global risks while building robust structures to successfully handle biological threats in the future by promoting synergies while maximizing the optimal use of available resources.