ISTC Deputy Executive Director Rashitdin Kokenov was honored to deliver a first-day presentation at the recent International Scientific and Practical Symposium titled, “Biosecurity and Sustainable Development: Strategic Approaches”, conducted in Almaty on September 24 and 25. Mr. Kokenov’s remarks addressed ISTC’s biosafety activities and sustainable development in Kazakhstan. The two-day event was organized and sponsored by the Ministry of Healthcare in Kazakhstan, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH development agency as part of the German Biosecurity Program and the Masgut Aikimbayev National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections.

In addition to the plenary session on the first day, panel discussions were conducted on both days, addressing monitoring systems and risk management in biosecurity, the biosafety role in ensuring principles of health, diagnostics through examining specific pathogens, consolidating efforts in fighting transborder infectious diseases, the field of bioinformatics and an educational program for younger specialists in biosecurity.

Symposium participants included representatives of the Kazakhstani Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs, the National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, the Kyrgyzstani Ministry of Health, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention and multiple businesses and institutes. German Consul General, Matthias Kiesler, attended and presented opening day remarks.