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Emil Nafis Iftekhar

Researcher at Robert Koch Institute and WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emil-iftekhar-b00371195/

NEVER Germany

Dr Emil Nafis Iftekhar is a Researcher at Robert Koch Institute and WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. Previously, he worked as a Political Affairs Intern at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Implementation Support Unit of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

He has gathered experience in biosecurity policy, contributing to the Youth Recommendations to the 2022 Review Conference of the BWC, researching and advocating for national COVID-19 policy in Germany, and managing a working group on Pandemic Prevention and Biosecurity at the Global Health Hub Germany. He has a PhD in Physics of Biology and Complex Systems from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation in Göttingen, Germany.

Content by Emil Nafis Iftekhar

Report

How to save the world: Influencing policy on the biggest risks to humanity

A new report published from the European Leadership Network’s New European Voices on Existential Risk (NEVER) project calls for a systemic international approach to be taken to address man-made existential risk. The risks from nuclear weapons, climate change, biological threats, and AI are interconnected and cross-cutting lessons should be drawn.

4 March 2025 | Jane Kinninmont, Edan Simpson, Nicolò Miotto, Arthur Duforest, Ezgi Yazicioglu, Jieqiong Duan, Rebecca Donaldson, Valeriia Hesse, Jasper Götting and Emil Nafis Iftekhar
Emerging Disruptive Technologies and Risk Reduction
Commentary

Ok, Doomer! The NEVER podcast – Biological threats: Going viral

Listen to the fourth episode of the NEVER podcast – Ok, Doomer! In this episode, we explore biological existential and global catastrophic risks. Featuring an introduction to the topic and an exploration of some of the technological mitigation techniques we have available for biological risks, a panel discussion exploring the current state of the international governance of biological risks, and we will also delve into whether humanity’s recent brush with COVID-19 has better or worse prepared us for future pandemics, be they man-made or natural.

17 June 2024 | Jane Kinninmont, Edan Simpson, Jasper Götting, Angela Kane, Anemone Franz, Emil Nafis Iftekhar and Bekki Field
Emerging Disruptive Technologies and Risk Reduction
Commentary

Existential threats beyond the bomb: emerging disruptive technologies in the age of AI

To better understand emerging technologies, NEVER members Konrad, Anemone, Emil, Arthur, and Joel outline the evolution of the risk landscape around emerging disruptive technologies and draw parallels between the dangers posed by nuclear weapons and those posed by novel biotechnologies. They explore the broader challenge of governing emerging technologies and suggest potential ways forward.

17 November 2023 | Konrad Seifert, Anemone Franz, Emil Nafis Iftekhar, Arthur Duforest and Joel Christoph
Global Security
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