Highlighting Exposures to Harmful Substances as Indicators of Africa’s Vulnerability to Biological Weapons Related Attack: Strategies to Improve Regional Safety

Concerns have been expressed about Africa’s rising population projected to hit 2.4 billion by 2050; the desperate poaching of Africa’s strategic resources by foreign interests; and the rising escapades of foreign-sponsored terrorist- and militant-groups in Africa that may acquire access to biological weapons. This paper therefore seeks to highlight Africa’s exposures to harmful substances as indicators of vulnerability to biological weapons related attacks; and to determine appropriate strategies to effectively protect Africa from the rising threat of harmful substances and bio-weapons related attacks in order to improve regional safety. An exploratory mixed method approach was adopted comprising data/information extraction; content analysis; simulation of the input-processing-output device; management by objective; and rational decision approach. Relying on a 17-point exposure to risks of harmful substances and events including harmful Genetically Modified Organism products, counterfeit medicines, adulterated foods and vaccines, and instigated epidemics and pandemics, it was found that Africa is highly vulnerable to bio-weapons attack. This high vulnerability is stoked by pliant biosafety regulatory agencies, frictious regulatory landscape, surrender of sovereignty and national interest by African countries to external control, and other internal shortcomings such as entrenched trafficking rings, limited access of the populace to essential medicines and supplies, technology limitations, high cost of domestic production and docile cultural practices. The paper concludes that though Africa’s vulnerability to bio-weapons attack is escalating to an impending emergency, a nine-point strategic action-plan will deescalate this vulnerability including: the establishment of the office of National Biosafety Adviser; funding biosafety agencies on consolidated revenue charge; adopting a proactive double-tier pre-shipment and destination inspections for importing affected products into Africa; upgrading biosafety laws to incorporate the three requirements of mandatory open market labelling, the precautionary principle and strict liability clause; sharpening of national and regional mechanisms for threat-detection, early warning and rapid response with intelligence sharing; among others.