CONTEMPORARY BIOSAFETY CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Biological safety is one of the most important components of the overall security system of both individual states and the entire world community. Today it has become quite obvious that the problems of biosafety are more urgent than ever and require the maximum attention of the world community. Against the background of the emergence and spread of diseases caused, as a rule, by dangerous and especially dangerous microorganisms, a number of problems arise in the world not only in the field of health care, but also of a political, social and economic nature. A striking example of this is the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that has continued since the end of 2019. The issues related to biosafety in the agricultural sector and ecology are considered. It is obvious that constant monitoring and analysis of a wide range of biosafety problems, early development of measures to minimize the threats of exposure to already known dangerous pathogens not only on human health, but also on the environment, agricultural and food sectors are necessary. The issues related to the development of new research directions that can lead to the creation of biological systems with specified properties and functions that have no analogues in nature are discussed. In research aimed at the development of new biological technologies, to one degree or another related to the production of biological warfare, the primary and mandatory requirement is to ensure the safety of all personnel involved in these works and the availability of well-trained qualified scientists, as well as certified laboratory facilities in which these works are carried out. It is important to constantly pursue the purposeful development of multilateral international cooperation in the field of biosafety, and make creative decisions to ensure it on the territory of the Russian Federation. The importance of Russia's active international participation in solving existing and potential biological threats within the framework of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is noted.