Pretoria, October 9-10, 2025

IBBIS, in collaboration with Biosafety South Africa, convened a multi-stakeholder meeting on safeguarding the South African bioeconomy in Pretoria, South Africa, in October 2025. The meeting brought together representatives from government, academia, and industry to consider how safeguards can enable responsible bio-innovation, strengthen public trust and support national and regional leadership in biotechnology.

The meeting highlighted South Africa’s strong foundation for bioeconomic growth, underpinned by world-class research institutions, advanced laboratory infrastructure, exceptional biodiversity and expanding capabilities in synthetic biology and artificial intelligence. These assets position the country to advance innovation across health, agriculture, environmental sustainability and industrial biotechnology, while also serving as a gateway for regional markets.

The discussions reflected the changing biological risk landscape shaped by natural disease threats, increased research throughput and the convergence of biotechnology with digital tools. Safeguarding was positioned as a core enabler of innovation. Clear, proportionate and transparent risk management was emphasized as essential for regulatory certainty, social legitimacy and effective translation of research into economic and societal value. The use of guidance, alongside legislation, was identified as a practical approach to embedding safeguards in a way that can adapt to scientific and technological change without creating unnecessary administrative burden.

DNA synthesis screening emerged as a central safeguarding measure. Its role was highlighted in strengthening traceability, supporting domestic manufacturing capability, reducing reliance on foreign controls during emergencies and reinforcing compliance with international biosecurity and nonproliferation obligations. Screening was also situated within a broader safeguarding ecosystem that includes institutional biosafety committees, laboratory management systems and responsible research training.

Key outcomes from the meeting included:

• Agreement that safeguarding is fundamental to responsible bio-innovation and to maintaining public trust through transparency and proportional risk management.
• Identification of DNA synthesis screening as a cornerstone safeguard that enhances traceability, national resilience and international credibility.
• Emphasis on strengthening institutional biosafety committees as frontline structures linking risk assessment, training, oversight and accountability.
• Support for the expanded use of guidance and standards to keep safeguarding practices aligned with rapid technological change.
• Endorsement of a national or regional safeguarding platform to coordinate activity across sectors and guide implementation of safeguards.

The meeting concluded that sustained cross-sector coordination and continued refinement of safeguarding practices will be central to ensuring that South Africa’s bioeconomy grows on a foundation of responsibility, trust and shared benefit.