MP raises concerns about biological safety in Kazakhstan

Galiaskar Sarybayev, a member of the Senate, the upper chamber of Kazakhstan’s parliament, warned the cabinet about risks to biological safety in the country. He urged executive authorities to enhance safety measures at old laboratories and testing grounds that still contain biological materials left from the Soviet biological program.

He claims that even though the country has already adopted necessary legislation, Kazakhstan’s biosafety system needs updating. The senator believes that from a technical point of view, Kazakhstani laboratories are outdated, while the training level of specialists in virology, microbiology and biotechnology does not meet modern standards.

«Equipment in many laboratories has long been worn out, and there is a lack of qualified specialists, while domestic vaccine production remains underdeveloped. Several issues remain on the agenda, including the security of laboratories and testing sites storing biomaterials abandoned during the Soviet era, land degradation and the use of AI in bioengineering and bio-IT,» Sarybayev stated.

According to the senator, to improve biological safety, authorities should enhance control over the turnover of biomaterials, upgrade laboratories, promote domestic vaccine production and bring in expertise from highly qualified specialists.

«We won’t be able to prevent potential threats until we solve these problems. We must lay the groundwork for the development of science and technology in this field,» he emphasized.

Kazakhstan also intends to streamline its emerging nuclear industry. Energy Minister Almassadam Satkaliyev has proposed establishing an international laboratory for thermonuclear synthesis. He emphasized that the government actively supports research and development in this field, contributing significantly to the country’s scientific infrastructure.