Taking Biological Threats Off The Table Through Next-Generation Global South Leadership

Pandemics—from the 1918 H1N1 influenza to COVID-19—have had a devastating impact on human lives, economies, and global security. Each outbreak reminds us that swift and coordinated action is essential: early intervention saves lives and prevents exponential spread.

The 100 Days Mission (100DM) aims to develop medical countermeasures within 100 days of a newly identified biological threat, regardless of whether they arise naturally, accidentally, or deliberately. Reducing the window for pathogen spread is vital to national, regional, and global security, as it significantly lessens the impact on global health, security, and economies. The advancement of emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), mRNA vaccine technology, and genomic sequencing, holds significant potential for achieving the 100DM. However, without responsible governance, these innovations may also pose unprecedented risks.

Our Vision

Our vision is a future where biological threats, regardless of origin, are taken off the table. We envision the safe and rapid development of pandemic interventions that harness emerging technologies, maximizing their potential for good while minimizing their potential for harm. We foresee a world where Global South countries not only have access to these innovations but can drive them — shaping global biosecurity policies and contributing to more comprehensive, inclusive solutions.

Driving innovation alone is not enough. We plan for a future where biological threats are fought against in collective action — bridging regions and sectors, and reinforcing global efforts.

Our Principles

As the next generation of leaders, we are committed to:

1. Strengthening biosecurity oversight in activities contributing to the 100 Days Mission. We will champion the rapid development of medical countermeasures while ensuring robust safety and security measures. This means standardized risk assessments, transparency, and global collaboration—so innovation never unintentionally fuels new crises.
2. Sustaining support for accessible and equitable pandemic preparedness. Cutting-edge technologies like AI, synthetic biology, and genomic surveillance are vital for pandemic preparedness and response. To safely harness the potential of these technologies, we believe investment in responsible governance and flexible funding—particularly in low- and lower-middle-income countries—is crucial for building public trust and securing health for all. At the same time, we recognize emerging Global South bioeconomies as key drivers of innovation and growth. As these economies — particularly those investing in biotechnology-driven innovation — expand, biosecurity must remain a core component.
3. Intentionally building a network of Next-Generation leaders in the Global South. We believe in creating clear pathways for emerging talent through fellowships, mentorships, and direct involvement in research, biomanufacturing, entrepreneurship, and high-level decision-making forums. Supporting and connecting these leaders is crucial in driving innovative and equitable responses to future global health challenges. Leaders from the Global South are often at the forefront of tackling biological threats, bringing invaluable insights and expertise shaped by direct experience, which is essential in crafting effective solutions.

Our Objectives

Today in Munich, we, the next generation of leaders, pledge to take concrete, coordinated, and collective action across generations and geographies, guided by our shared principles, to:

Objective 1: Drive stronger global biosecurity outcomes by promoting new opportunities for Global South leaders to actively shape agenda-setting and policy-making, moving beyond mere representation to meaningful influence.

Objective 2: Advance biosecurity measures around the 100DM through dedicated investment, development, alignment with international standards, and integration of biosecurity as a core component of emerging technologies.

How Can Global Leaders Support the Advancement of Biosecurity?

To translate these objectives into action, we call on governments, funders, and institutions — particularly those with significant resources and influence from the Global North — to invest in addressing global disparities through their resources, expertise, and collaboration, essential to realizing the actions outlined below.

To promote new opportunities for Global South leaders (Objective 1), we recommend:

• Supporting fellowships and leadership programs to bring Global South talent into high-level decision-making in organizations at the forefront of 100DM goals and implementation. This includes embedding Global South leaders in institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), and other G7/G20 biosecurity working groups.
• Institutionalizing dedicated sessions at global forums—like future MSC events—that bring emerging leaders into biosecurity and pandemic preparedness decision-making. This includes formalizing policy dialogues where Global South leaders take part in and lead discussions on biosecurity governance, which can be translated into ongoing engagement mechanisms in policymaking, regulatory frameworks, and investment strategies related to pandemic preparedness.
• Facilitating Global South-led peer-to-peer collaboration among next-generation leaders by establishing opportunities for knowledge sharing, joint initiatives, and cross-sector partnerships. These efforts can build upon existing declarations — for instance, the Youth Declaration for Biosecurity, a result of the Youth for Biosecurity Initiative implemented by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) — and drive joint initiatives that include diverse perspectives to shape the agenda around biosecurity governance and priorities.

To advance biosecurity and investment in 100DM-related activities (Objective 2), we recommend:

• Integrating biosecurity investments as a core pillar of global health security funding. We advocate for dedicated biosecurity and biosafety investment streams within major international bodies, e.g., CEPI, WHO, the Pandemic Fund, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), as well as regional and local organizations. This includes ensuring biosecurity risk management in pandemic preparedness grants and research funding. This can be further implemented by expanding the signatories to the International Bio Funders Compact, aiming to integrate research funding to prevent accidental or deliberate misuse of life sciences.
• Supporting initiatives that promote, finance, and implement performance-based standards — such as the International Standard Organization (ISO) 35001— to strengthen biosafety and biosecurity practices globally and to ensure that Global South institutions have access to the necessary resources, facilities, and training to comply with internationally recognized standards.
• Minimizing risks associated with emerging technologies by embedding protective measures from the outset. We support developing proactive approaches that integrate safety considerations into the design and development of emerging technologies rather than addressing them after deployment.

About

On February 15, 2025 at the 61st Munich Security Conference, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), in partnership with Foreign Policy, convened emerging biosecurity leaders from the Global South. Together with top-level decision-makers, they discussed concrete next steps to accelerate the 100 Days Mission to reduce threats posed by deliberate, accidental, and naturally occurring biological threats. Strengthening biosecurity and biosafety will unleash the benefits of new technologies by minimizing risks, so we can make progress towards achieving the 100 Days Mission safely, securely and equitably.

Authors

The declaration was prepared by the following individuals (all have contributed equally):

NTI | bio MSC Biosecurity Delegates and Youth4Biosecurity Fellows (UNODA)

• Kirsten Angeles (Philippines), Independent Biosecurity Governance Researcher; NTI | bio BWC delegate 2023, Southeast Asia Biosecurity.
• Yuhan Bao (China), Liaison Officer, International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) Foundation.
• Yorgo El Moubayed (Lebanon), Program Coordinator, International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) Foundation; Technical Consultant, International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS).
• Jose Garza-Martinez (Mexico), Researcher/Lecturer, Tecnologico de Monterrey; Instructor, Center of AI Safety; NTI | bio BWC delegate 2023.
• Pongpannee Phumikhet (Thailand), Technical Officer, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA).
• Shrestha Rath (India), Doctoral Student, Johns Hopkins University; NTI | bio Competition Winner 2022.

Biosecurity Game Changers Fellows

• Kelly Elimian (Nigeria), Lecturer, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Nigeria.
• Sana Masmoudi (Tunisia), Quality Control Manager, Pasteur Institute of Tunisia.
• Diana Stella Nasik (Uganda), Health Security Policy Advisor, Uganda National Public Health Emergency Operations Center.
• Thokozani Nyasulu-Liwewe (Malawi), Lilongwe District Health Office, Ministry of Health, Malawi.
• Edyth Parker (South Africa), Postdoctoral Associate, African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases and Scripps.
• Jon Arizti Sanz (Spain), Postdoctoral Fellow, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

Institutional Supporters

• Asia Center for Health Security, Singapore, Singapore.
• Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Oslo, Norway.
• Nuclear Threat Initiative, Washington DC, USA.
• Pandemic Action Network, Seattle, USA.
• The Pandemic Center, Brown University, USA.
• Sentinel Bio, Washington DC, USA.

Individual Supporters

Affiliations are for identification only and do not imply any institutional endorsement.

• Zoe Adler, Biosecurity Policy and Equity Senior Manager, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• Faye Bagamuhunda, Biosecurity Game Changers Fellow, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• Beth Cameron, Senior Advisor and Professor of the Practice, The Pandemic Center, Brown University School of Public Health.
• Neil Cherian, Senior Biosecurity Manager, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• Sabrina Chwalek, Visiting Fellow, The Pandemic Center, Brown University School of Public Health.
• Gabrielle Essix, Senior Program Officer, Global Biological Policy and Programs, Nuclear Threat Initiative.
• Lucas L. Fluegel, Researcher, Scripps Research.
• Anemone Franz, MD.
• Jane Halton, Board Chair, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• Moritz S. Hanke, MD, Visiting Scholar, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
• Richard Hatchett, CEO, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• Andrew Hebbeler, Director of Biosecurity, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• Dr. Temi Ibitoye, Visiting Fellow, The Pandemic Center, Brown University School of Public Health.
• Tom Inglesby, Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
• Christopher Isaac, Director of Responsibility, International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) Foundation.
• Yenew Kebede, Acting Director, Centre for Laboratory Diagnostics and Systems, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Africa Union.
• Shayna Korol, Student, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA.
• Talkmore Maruta, Director of Programs, African Society for Laboratory Medicine.
• Raj Panjabi, Senior Partner, Flagship Pioneering, Faculty, Harvard Medical School.
• Aparupa Sengupta, Senior Program Officer, NTI | bio.
• Hayley Severance, Deputy Vice President, NTI | bio.
• Jane Shallcross, Senior Lead for Biosecurity and Biosafety Oversight, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• Claire Standley, Senior Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiatives Lead, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
• Eloise Todd, CEO and Co-Founder, Pandemic Action Network.
• Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze, Professor and Dean, School of Public Health, Makerere University.
• Jaime Yassif, Vice President, NTI | bio.