Safety underpins new East African Community States biotech strategy
Some biotech products, possibly containing synthetic molecules, may be circulating already in certain East African Community (EAC) Partner States … says Dr. Willy Tonui who is currently leading the development of a new strategy that will harmonize the biotechnology framework for the EAC and streamline the sector.
The exercise is being undertaken under the auspices of East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO). He notes that while some countries globally approve products from biotechnology many EAC Partner States are yet to develop mechanisms to approve them. He cautions that the presence of unapproved biotech products does not guarantee their safety
Biotechnology products are part of the global marketplace, shaping how we heal, eat, build, and live. However, as Dr Willy Tonui notes, these advancements also come with important responsibilities. Biotechnology must advance in a way that ensures the protection of human health, animal welfare, biodiversity, and the environment
By incorporating safety throughout its biotechnology strategy, the EAC aims to promote responsible practices in Africa. This approach is intended to protect human health and the environment, as well as support credibility and cooperation with international partners. The EAC’s emphasis on safety is positioned as a guiding principle for future efforts to ensure that scientific advancement considers societal needs, broad access to opportunities, and sustainable progress.
“Once formulated, the Regional Biotechnology Strategy will lead to the establishment of the EAC Biotechnology Harmonisation Programme, “ says Dr. Tonui.
Worryingly in Africa, and particularly in Kenya, biotechnology is often conflated with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Sometimes the two are used interchangeably, both by the media and the public, signifying a lack of understanding of the concepts. This has spawned conspiracy theories and fanned fear around biotechnology.
While Kenya has met the standards for international protocols leading to the enactment of a Biosafety Act, not all the EAC member states have acceded to or domesticated these protocols.
“Without these laws, countries stand the risk of using biotechnology products that have not been approved,” warns Dr. Tonui, adding: “Unregulated products may easily find their way into countries which do not have laws.”
“Without these laws, countries stand the risk of using biotechnology products that have not been approved,” warns Dr. Tonui, adding: “Unregulated products may easily find their way into countries which do not have laws.”
Dr. Willy Tonui
EAC Stakeholder Meeting, July 2025, Held in Nairobi, Kenya
“It’s timely for the EAC to be looking at a regional strategy for biotechnology,” says Akile Sunday, the AUDA- NEPAD Senior Programme Officer. “It fits very well with the regional policies for biotechnology economy.”
In 2011, the Bill to introduce GMOs in Kenya was time barred, leading to a 10-year ban on the importation of GM foods. However, the 2023 Presidential directive lifting the ban only served to re-ignite the lingering GMOs debate.
While lifting the ban, the Government of Kenya stated that GMOs will enable the country meet the huge food deficit and lower the cost of living.
“Our analysis shows that the public is not engaged. They are not fully aware of what happens. A lot of people think biotechnology is all about GMOs. That is one aspect,” Dr Tonui observes.
The harmonised EAC biotechnology framework could, therefore, serve to both demystify the technology and enhance safety.
“The big lessons that can be learned from other parts of the world is that National and regional policies really do matter for economic development,” Says Dr. Michael Santos, Senior Vice President for Science Partnerships at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Sylvance Okoth, the Executive Secretary at the Kigali based EASTECO, notes that biotechnology, along with sound biosafety and biosecurity measures, holds immense potential to transform key sectors of our economies.
“But to realise these benefits, we must act in concert, guided by a shared strategic vision. The Regional Strategy is the product of a consultative and evidence-informed process,” he says
Omungo, R (2026, January 6). Safety underpins new East African Community States biotech strategy. The Standard. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/special-reports/article/2001537870/safety-underpins-new-eac-biotechnology-strategy