National Series Lecture 1 Introduction Algeria

1. National SeriesLecture 1IntroductionAlgeria Bradford Disarmament Research CentreDivision of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK Picture Image Transparent Globe by digitalart- from: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

2. Outline • Where we are in the early 21st century • Outline of the following lectures • What we should know(learning outcome) • What we can do(policy contribution) Picture Image: Golden World In Hands by jscreationzs- from: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

3. What is “Life Science”? “Any field of science that is leading to or has the potential to lead to an enhanced understanding of living organisms, especially human life.” E.g. Biology, proteomics, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, aerosol technology, chemistry and mathematics (National Research Council, 2006: 27) • Applied in: • Public health, Medicine, Agriculture, Energy, Environment and National security studies

4. Biotechnology: An integral part of national strategy in the 21st Century A growing market in Biotechnology: the pharmaceutical market (National Research Council, 2006: 85) • Similar results in number of researchers and the amount of private investment for R&D in the life sciences • Rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East • (Ernst&Young 2011, Frost&Sullivan 2010)

5. Algeria: Science outlook • Algeria has 36 Universities, 15 University centers, 10 research centers, 5 unities of research with 931 Research Laboratories in Algeria, (Zerari, 2011 cited by UNESCO) • US-Muslim World Science Partnership • http://www.algeria-us.org/docs/Presentation%20at%20National%20Academy%20of%20Science%20June%202010.pdf • “…we have decided to devote from now on one per cent of the country’s GDP to scientific research, with that share increasing to 1.5% in 2011” - Ambassador AbdallahBaali, 2010 • Links with numerous US universities to strengthen science and technology work • The Algerian American Scientists Association (AASA) is an independent, non-profit and non-political organization established in December 2007 in New York, NY. We appreciate the contributions of countless individuals who spent their valuable time and

6. Algeria: Science outlookNo enough information on National Academy and the life sciences in the country was obtained by the National Series • JOURNALS AND OPEN ACCESS • Open Access is a recent movement in Algeria, but the concept is new and not popularized enough, thus implementation is not rapid. There seems to be a lack of clear institutional and national policy on Open Access, with resulting difficulties in securing long-term funding and getting commitments from more institutions to join the open access community. • Algerian Scientific Journals is a portal that provides a set of about 35 Open Access Algerian journals covering all areas, with access to abstracts and full text through simple search. The site is created by the Research Division of Information Sciences DRIS Research Center (CERIST). (UNESCO 2012)

7. PubMed search with “Algeria”

8. New Algerian Academy of Sciences 2014? • Création d’une académie algérienne des sciences et des technologiques avant la fin du 1er semestre 2014 (Babès) • ALGER - Une Académie des sciences et des technologies sera créée en Algérie avant la fin du premier semestre de 2014, avec la contribution du Conseil national économique et social (CNES), a annoncé dimanche à Alger le président du conseil, Mohamed SeghirBabès. • "La création de l’académie s’inscrit dans le cadre de la stratégie de l’Etat pour l’édification d’une économie nationale fondée sur la connaissance et d’une société de savoir", a-t-il expliqué, lors d’une réunion de travail avec le directeur général de l’Organisation internationale du travail (OIT), Guy Ryder. • Selon lui, le projet de créer une académie algérienne des sciences et des technologies, conforme aux standards internationaux, a nécessité "deux années" de travail. • A cet effet, une rencontre aura lieu dans "deux semaines" à Alger entre M. Babès et le président de l’Académie française des sciences et des technologies pour "un échange de vues".

9. Algerian American Scientists Association • The Algerian American Scientists Association (AASA) is an independent, non-profit and non-political organization established in December 2007 in New York, NY. AASA’s vision is to build a network of Algerian-American Scientists and health care specialists in the U.S. in order to promote the advancement and growth of young professionals. This network will facilitate the flow of people (scientists and students), knowledge and technology; and help link academic institutions in the two countries. • Moreover, AASA’s goal is to participate in health awareness and care in joint partnership with Algerian institutions. AASA’s axiom is to achieve its objectives with a series of concrete, measurable, realistic and result oriented actions in a timely manner.

10. Algeria and biotechnology • AMGEN – a US-based biotechnology company proposed, in 2011, that Algeria can attract biotechnology investment for the following reasons: • “First –strong government policies that encourage investment. • Second –strong protection of intellectual property rights. • Third –an efficient, transparent and predictable regulatory system. • Fourth –robust academic –industry collaborations. • Fifth –reimbursement policies that value innovation”

11. Algeria and links with US on biotechnology • 2011 – links between Northeastern University and Algerian biotechnology developments….for example: • “North­easternUni­ver­sity hosted a del­e­ga­tion of Algerian inter-​​ministerial leaders last Wednesday, including DjamelOuldAbbès, the Min­ister of Health, Pop­u­la­tion and Hos­pital Reform. • The U.S.-Algeria Busi­ness Council facil­i­tated the meeting, which also included rep­re­sen­ta­tives of the Min­istry of Industry, SMEs (Small and Medium Enter­prises) and Pro­mo­tion of Invest­ment; the Min­istry of Labor, Employ­ment and Social Secu­rity; and the Embassy of Algeria in Wash­ington, D.C. • The goal of the meeting was to share the inter­dis­ci­pli­nary research being con­ducted by fac­ulty mem­bers in the Bouvé Col­lege of Health Sci­ences and to foster poten­tial part­ner­ships between Algeria and the Uni­ver­sity in the biotech­nology sector.”

12. Algeria as a biotechnology hub • “The Algerian government plans to become an international hub for biotechnology by 2020, similar to Boston, Ireland and Singapore, to supply its national pharmaceutical needs and promote scientific research. • As a first step to realizing their ambition, the University of Algiers will sign partnership agreements with Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Boston's Northeastern University during the Bio International Convention 2012, taking place from 18–21 June in Boston, Massachusetts.”

13. Why do we care? Should this be an issue for us? The dual-use nature of science and technology: • “Every major technology — metallurgy, explosives, internal combustion, aviation, electronics, nuclear energy — has been intensively exploited, not only for peaceful purposes but also for hostile ones.” • “…Must this also happen with biotechnology, certain to be a dominant technology of the twenty-first century?” Matthew Meselson: Professor of Molecular Biology at Harvard University (Meselson, 2000: 16)

14. Meselson’s Forecast in 2000 Ability • “Our ability to modify fundamental life processes continues its rapid advance” • “We will be able not only to devise additional ways to destroy life but will also become able to manipulate it” Dilemma • “…[This has a] Vast potential for beneficial application and could have inimical consequences for the course of civilization.”

15. Meselson’s Forecast in 2000 “At present, we appear to be approaching a crossroads —a time that will test whether biotechnology…” • Will come to be intensively exploited for hostile purposes, or • Our species will find the collective wisdom to take a different course.

16. Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC)1972 Article I • “Each State Party to this Convention undertakes never in any circumstances to develop, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire or retain: • 1. Microbial or other biological agents or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes.” • This applies not only to states but also to non-state actors

17. Science and Security: Dual-Use The need for a broader conceptualisation of dual-use • Biological agents and toxins can be used for hostile purposes withoutweaponization and technology is typically diffused globally for peaceful purposes • Hostile use can take the form of criminal acts or terrorist acts (non-state level) in parallel to military application (state level), • The BTWC prohibits the misuse of the life sciences by both states and non-state actors

18. Algeria and international regimes WMD • Algeria does not possess nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons, and is not suspected of pursuing such capabilities. Additionally, the country does not deploy strategic delivery vehicles such as ballistic missiles. Algiers is a party to all relevant nonproliferation treaties and organizations, including the Treaty of Pelindaba (also known as the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone Treaty). BTWC • 28 September 2001 (Accession) • Although Algeria does not have a biological warfare program, there has been unsubstantiated speculation by media outlets that Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb may have attempted to develop biological weapons on Algerian territory. Attributing the information to unidentified U.S. intelligence sources, several newspapers reported in January 2009 that approximately 40 Al-Qaeda operatives had died at a base in the mountains of TiziOuzou province in eastern Algeria after experimenting with the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis. (Nuclear Threat Initiative 2012)

19. Algeriaand international regimes CWC • Signature (13 January 1993) • Ratification (14 August 1995) • Algeria is not believed to possess a chemical weapons program. Algeria ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) on 8 August 1995, and is an active Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) member. In June 2007, Algeria hosted a workshop on the CWC to encourage African countries to join the treaty. (Nuclear Threat Initiative 2012)

20. National Series: Lecture Outline 2.Biosecurity Threats 3. The Web of Prevention 4. National Measures 5. Responsibility of Scientists Picture Image: Transparent Globe by digitalart- from: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

21. Reviewing threats (Lecture 2) • ‘No single focal point’ of threats • Potential actors, material and information, which can be related to dual-use issues, exist at international, regional, national, local and individual levels. Natural outbreaks of infectious disease Safety/accidental risks at laboratories Manmade threats: warfare, crime and terrorism Unpredictable future of the life sciences

22. The Web of Prevention (WoP) (Lecture 3) To address natural outbreaks of infectious disease • Public health preparedness and response planning To address safety/accidental risks • Laboratory regulations to safely manage dangerous pathogens and toxins, to prevent an accidental release into the environment and unauthorized access To address manmade threats • Strong international arms control agreements with effective national implementation • Internationally coordinated export controls • Intelligence • Biodefense To address the unpredictable future of the life sciences • Oversight: Review of security-sensitive science and technology developments • Responsible conduct in research through education

23. Natural threats Safety risks Manmade threats Governance of science

24. National implementation (Lecture 4) To National Context

25. National implementation (Lecture 4)

26. Worldwide engagement of life scientists with the WoP will: Effectively strengthen biosecurity measures by requiring the engagement of practicing scientists Prevent unnecessary restriction of scientific freedoms The need for responsible conduct in research(Lecture 5) • Engagement of informed life scientists about biosecurity issues is key to successful security • Education of, and capacity building among, scientists on biosecurity issues is necessary for successful security • Uninformed scientists = no effective science policy inputs to the WoP

27. Biosecurity: Definition issues The term “biosecurity” has been conceptualised differently across various scientific and professional disciplines • Areas: The term has been used in ecology, agriculture, food supply, arms control and public health contexts, with different meanings and conceptualisations • Policy processes: these overlap with interdisciplinary areas such as biosafety, counter-terrorism, agricultural biosecurity and biodiversity • Linguistic: In addition to these conceptual complications, “biosecurity” has also experienced linguistic complications (Fidler and Gostin 2007, Sunshine Project 2003, Barletta 2002)

28. National Series:WoP = Biosecurity Education = Biosecurity Competency

29. References • The references cited in this lecture are viewable in the Notes section of this presentation.