South Africa’s dismantling of its apartheid-era Project Coast biological weapons program in the 1990s lacked transparency and external oversight, resulting in lingering questions regarding materials, documentation, and the fate of involved experts. Notably, the program’s dismantlement occurred with limited accountability measures. Kazakhstan, however, pursued a vastly different path, opting for a more open and internationally supervised process. This approach emphasized thorough verification procedures and established institutional safeguards to prevent the spread of dangerous materials and knowledge. Kazakhstan also successfully redirected scientists formerly involved in weapons research to peaceful scientific endeavors. The contrasting approaches of South Africa and Kazakhstan underscore the importance of transparency and international cooperation in safely and effectively dismantling biological weapons programs. This comparison reveals the critical need for robust verification and safeguards to mitigate proliferation risks.