Through the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on One Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) reaffirm their shared commitment to advancing the implementation of the One Health approach.

Building on longstanding cooperation and successful joint efforts, and recognizing the interdependence of the health of humans, animals, plants, ecosystems, and the wider environment, the Quadripartite organisations remain committed to coordinated, multisectoral action to address current and emerging health challenges at the interface.

The renewed MoU continues to provide the legal and operational framework for collaboration, leveraging the respective mandates and comparative advantages of each organisation. It reinforces possibilities for cooperation across key priority areas, including health systems strengthening; prevention, preparedness and response to epidemics and pandemics; control of endemic and neglected diseases; antimicrobial resistance; food safety; and the systematic integration of environmental considerations into One Health policies and actions.

Guided by principles of cooperation, shared responsibility, inclusiveness, equity, and gender equality, the Quadripartite will continue to advance evidence-based policies and coordinated support to countries and partners to accelerate the implementation of the One Health approach.

Through this renewed Memorandum of Understanding, FAO, UNEP, WHO, and WOAH reaffirm their collective determination to reduce health risks and promote sustainable health outcomes for humans, animals, plants, ecosystems, and the wider environment worldwide. This renewed Memorandum of Understanding shall remain in force until 28 November 2030. The full text of the revised MoU and the letter of renewal are available: MoU between FAO, UNEP, WHO, WOAH regarding cooperation on One Health

On 7 April 2026, on the occasion of World Health Day, France will host a One Health Summit in Lyon, France. 

The One Health approach, which brings together human, animal, plant and ecosystem health – is more vital than ever as the world faces interconnected health, climate, and ecological challenges. Addressing these challenges requires science-based, preventive, and coordinated action across sectors and borders. 

The Summit aims to promote global, interdisciplinary dialogue and foster a shared One Health vision by engaging all stakeholders in concrete, action-oriented solutions.  

For the first time, the Summit will bring together Heads of State and Government, alongside representatives from governments, the public and private sectors, international and regional organisations, philanthropic institutions, academia, local authorities, civil society and youth. The Summit aims to promote action-oriented multilateralism and accelerate the translation of One Health commitments into concrete results. 

Summit’s Objectives 

  • Foster international and interdisciplinary dialogue about global challenges by deploying, for instance, cooperation and research programmes 
  • Rethink global institutional frameworks by helping to create a common “One Health” culture 
  • Engage all public and private stakeholders to invest in deploying concrete actions 
  • Further develop solutions to strengthen health and surveillance systems in order to prevent sanitary, food, and environmental risks that impact our populations daily 

The One Health Summit will focus on the main factors contributing to infectious and non-communicable diseases, such as zoonotic reservoirs and vectors, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), sustainable food systems, and exposure to pollution. 

The One Health Summit will contribute to broader international momentum, including France’s 2026 G7 Presidency, and align with other major global processes to advance coordinated One Health action. 

For more information, please visit the Summit website:  
One Health Summit | One Planet Summit

QPT webpages and contacts: 

 

WOAH and ESA Hold Earth Observations for Health User Forum 2025

Last month, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), hosted the ESA EO4Health User Forum 2025. This landmark event marked a major milestone in the WOAH–ESA partnership and the first significant follow-up to their Memorandum of Intent. It positioned satellite Earth Observation (EO) as a cornerstone of the global One Health agenda, reinforcing the role of space-based technologies in tackling interconnected health challenges.

Uniting Health and Space Experts

The Forum brought together animal and human health practitioners, EO scientists, policymakers, international organisations and industry stakeholders. It highlighted how EO technologies can strengthen disease surveillance, climate and health resilience, and prevention, preparedness and response systems.

One Health at the Core

The guiding principle of the Forum was clear: One Health is essential. Sessions explored how Earth Observation can address the interconnection between human, animal and environmental health. The One Health Joint Plan of Action was referenced as a global framework, with dedicated action tracks targeting key health challenges at the interface. These include monitoring zoonoses, vector-, food- and water-borne risks and antimicrobial resistance – all areas where EO data can play a transformative role.

WOAH’s mandate to ensure transparency in the global animal disease situation aligns with satellite intelligence. EO enhances health surveillance by detecting environmental changes such as droughts, floods and land-use shifts that drive outbreaks of diseases like Rift Valley Fever, West Nile Virus and Lumpy Skin Disease. This enables preemptive action, including the strengthening of early warning systems that provide veterinarians and public health officials with real-time risk maps at the critical human-animal-environment interface.

Technical Frontiers: Digital Twins and Predictive Tools

The Forum showcased cutting-edge EO applications, including:

  • Disease surveillance: Sentinel satellite data combined with in-field measurements to forecast hotspots for vector-borne diseases and arboviruses and waterborne pathogens such as cholera and leptospirosis.
  • Digital Twins: Virtual replicas of ecosystems used to model interventions like green infrastructure to reduce pollution and heat-related health risks.
  • AI and Big Data Analytics: Tools to integrate EO datasets into real-time risk mapping for both communicable and non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular, pulmonary and mental health conditions.
From Data to Decision

Despite technical advances, participants emphasised the need to translate EO insights into policy and operational use. Key challenges include:

  • Lack of standardised data formats across sectors.
  • Limited awareness among health actors of freely available EO data.
  • Need for user-friendly platforms to integrate EO into veterinary and public health workflows.

The role of Large Language Models (LLMs) was also discussed as a way to make EO data more accessible and actionable for non-experts.

Building the Future

The Forum concluded with a joint roadmap focused on:

  • Cross-sector collaboration between space, veterinary, environmental and health agencies.
  • Improved data governance and interoperability.
  • Investment in a space and health education to equip future policymakers and scientists.

WOAH and ESA’s collaboration reflects a growing recognition that space-based technologies are important for strengthening health-systems and preventing crises. By embedding Earth Observation into the heart of One Health, the partnership is helping to shift the global health paradigm from reactive response to proactive resilience, making prevention central to global health security.

As the EO4Health initiative gains momentum, it signals a new era where satellite data not only observes the planet but actively protects its inhabitants. WOAH remains committed to advancing this vision, championing innovation that safeguards the health of animals, people and ecosystems worldwide.

More information

Contact: Dr Chadia Wannous ([email protected]), WOAH One Health Coordinator

© WOAH/ K. Dastanbek Kyzy

Issued at the Third Quadripartite Executive Annual Meeting, 25 – 27 March 2025, WOAH Headquarters, Paris 

As global leaders in human, animal, plant and ecosystem health, the Quadripartite collaboration comprising – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) – reaffirms its unwavering commitment to advancing the One Health approach. This integrated approach is essential to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, plants, and ecosystems and to address health risks at the human-animal-environment interface. Meeting at WOAH headquarters in Paris for the Third Quadripartite Executive Annual Meeting, we call for urgent, strategic, and sustained support and investments to scale up One Health implementation worldwide. 

Advancing the One Health agenda 

Since its establishment in March 2022, the Quadripartite has made significant progress in four strategic priority areas: 

  1. Implementation of the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA): Over the past year, the Quadripartite has strengthened cross-sectoral collaboration through regional and sub-regional One Health workshops in Europe, Central Asia, and the Pacific Islands, leading to increased adoption of the OH JPA at the national level. Capacity-building efforts have expanded, with multiple country-level workshops focusing on workforce development, joint risk assessments, and multisectoral coordination mechanisms. Additionally, key implementation tools have been translated into multiple languages, increasing their accessibility and adoption. 
  1. Strengthening One Health science and evidence: The second term of the Quadripartite One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) has been established, broadening its expertise to include social sciences, economics, and governance. Key scientific deliverables will include mapping international legal and policy instruments that have a bearing on One Health and analyzing barriers and enablers of One Health implementation. The Quadripartite One Health Knowledge Nexus serves as an interactive space for collective knowledge generation and co-learning. Under this platform, a joint Community of Practice was launched in November 2023 on the Return on Investment for One Health. A new Community of Practice on One Health governance is planned to be launched in 2025. In 2024, the Quadripartite contributed actively to the 8th World One Health Congress and several other international scientific fora to strengthen partnerships with the scientific community. 
  1. Enhancing political engagement and advocacy: The Quadripartite played a significant role in global political processes, advocating for the inclusion of One Health in major discussions and declarations. This includes supporting the adoption of a UN General Assembly political declaration on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and advocating for One Health integration in G20 Health Ministerial discussions and declarations. Additionally, the Quadripartite contributed to the adoption of a Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health at the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) and hosted a high-level One Health event at UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) to promote climate-health policy integration. 
  2. Mobilising investments for One Health: The Quadripartite is developing a Joint Offer – a unified advocacy document for targeted One Health investments. This effort will be bolstered by structured outreach to funding partners through roundtable discussions and high-level dialogues. The Quadripartite continues to advocate for embedding One Health in existing financial mechanisms, and strengthening regional and national One Health investment planning to catalyze broader financial commitments, ensuring sustainable investments at national and global levels.

Investing in One Health now 

The complexity of today’s health challenges – ranging from AMR and zoonotic diseases to food safety risks and climate-related health threats, amongst others – demands an integrated and well-resourced One Health response. Investing in One Health is not an option; it is an imperative. It is a strategic and cost-effective approach to preventing future health crises, reducing economic losses, strengthening global health security, and promoting sustainable development.

The Quadripartite underscores that investing in One Health today is an investment in a safer, healthier, and more resilient future. The world cannot afford to wait. We call on policymakers, donors and global leaders to act decisively, turning commitments into concrete actions and ensuring that One Health is effectively implemented, leaving no one behind.

In a world where the health of humans, animals, and the environment is deeply interconnected, the One Health approach has never been more vital. Today’s global challenges from climate change and biodiversity loss to emerging diseases and antimicrobial resistance demand coordinated solutions that bridge sectors and disciplines. Over the past year, under WOAH’s chairmanship of the Quadripartite collaboration on One Health, significant progress has been made in strengthening health systems, reinforcing the crucial role of animal health in the broader global health agenda. 

When WOAH assumed the chair of the Quadripartite in March 2024, it took on a mission to drive One Health forward with renewed urgency. The Quadripartite—comprising WOAH, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the UN Environment Programme—has been addressing global health risks, but this past year saw an intensified effort  to equip countries with the guidance, tools and knowledge to translate One Health principles into action. 

Laying the foundation for One Health action 

A strategic roadmap was introduced, setting out four key priorities. 

  • Implementing the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA) 
  • Strengthening scientific knowledge and evidence 
  • Enhancing political engagement and advocacy 
  • Mobilising investments for sustainable One Health initiatives 

Building the foundations for One Health Progress 

At the heart of these efforts was the implementation of the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA), a framework developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it addresses broader scope of health threats at the human, animal and environment interface.

With WOAH’s support, its Implementation Guide was translated into five languages, making it more accessible to countries worldwide. Efforts put to strengthening regional coordination mechanisms and intersectoral cooperation and Regional and national workshops in Europe, the Pacific Islands, Bangladesh, Kosovo, Mongolia, and South Africa enabled governments to assess their health systems and identify gaps and strengthen national strategies.

In Bolivia and Cameroon, One Health situation analyses were completed, while in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, and Sri Lanka, OH country profiles were developed. These efforts fostered stronger collaboration between human, animal, and environment health sectors, ensuring that One Health is embedded in national policies and strategies. 

Advancing One Health through Science and Evidence 

Scientific advancement in One Health remained a top priority. The One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) started its second term, with  key deliverables including providing a deeper understanding of the enablers and barriers to One Health adoption and mapping international governance frameworks. With an expanded panel that now includes expertise in social sciences, economics, and legal frameworks, the Quadripartite is better positioned to provide holistic, evidence-based solutions. Additionally, new operational tools were also introduced to enhance workforce development and monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that One Health is not just a concept but a tangible, measurable strategy. 

Securing global commitment and sustainable funding 

WOAH’s chairmanship also placed strong emphasis on elevating One Health on the  global political stage. The Quadripartite played a key role in securing a political declaration on antimicrobial resistance at the United Nations General Assembly and ensured that One Health was recognised in ministerial statements at the G20 Health Meeting. At COP29, a high-level event highlighted the need to integrate One Health into climate and health policies, reinforcing the link between environmental sustainability and global health. 

One of the most pressing challenges for One Health has been securing sustainable funding. In response, WOAH spearheaded the Quadripartite development of the Joint Offer, a targeted investment initiative designed to support national One Health implementation. This effort laid the groundwork for long-term financial commitments, ensuring that One Health continues to receive the resources needed to drive global health security. 

Reflecting on the year’s achievement, Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran, WOAH’s Director General, stated: “Over the past year, we have transformed One Health from a guiding principle into tangible action in more countries, strengthening systems that protect animals, humans, and the environment. This collaborative effort is crucial in preventing future health crises and ensuring a more sustainable future.” 

As WOAH prepares to pass the chair of the Quadripartite to FAO, the achievements of the past year stand as a testament of what can be accomplished through collective action. By strengthening the connection between animal, human, and environment health, the Quadripartite collaboration has laid a solid foundation for a more resilient future.  The journey towards global health security continues using the One Health approach, but the strides made under WOAH’s chairmanship will leave a lasting impact, shaping policies and practices that will protect future generations. 

In 2023, Georgia embraced a One Health approach by adopting a One Health National Action Plan, aimed at addressing the spread of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases.

Collaboration between primary agencies  in charge of protecting human, animal, and environmental health  in  Georgia—the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Food Agency (NFA), State Laboratory of Agriculture (SLA)—and international organisations, including the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has already led to progress in controlling vector-borne diseases. One such vector-borne disease is Q-fever, an illness spread by ticks which affects mammals, birds, reptiles, arthropods and humans.  

Vector-borne diseases, which are infections spread through organisms like mosquitoes, midges and ticks, account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases worldwide. And, due to climate change, vectors are more likely to survive in places where they had previously been absent, paving the way for outbreaks in those areas. This interaction between environment and vectors makes controlling the spread of vector-borne diseases especially dependent on multi-sectorial collaboration. “As demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Vasili Basiladze, Deputy Head of NFA and WOAH Delegate for Georgia, “Addressing animal health is crucial to preventing outbreaks in humans. A One Health approach facilitates the early detection and control of such diseases.”  

One Earth, One Health

The One Health approach recognises that humans, animals, plants and ecosystems are interdependent, and so is their health. It encourages collaboration between sectors and disciplines to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging diseases effectively.

Collaboration to combat vector-borne diseases

No stranger to multi-sectoral partnership, Georgia’s NFA has worked collaboratively with SLA and NCDC since 2012 to facilitate data-sharing and support information flow between agencies. However, its adoption of a One Health National Plan has increased the scope and impact of disease control and prevention measures. “Vector-borne diseases have become a significant public health issue in Georgia,” says Basiladze, “The country has made significant progress in controlling them, but ongoing efforts were needed to monitor and manage the risk of disease.”  

Georgia hosted several multi-sector roundtables focused on assessing risk and the potential impacts of emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases. These were attended by WOAH, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

These multi-discipline meetings focused on enhancing prevention and control measures—including public awareness campaigns, vector control initiatives, and risk assessments which, with respect to Q-fever, is welcome in the region. “Georgia currently lacks a formal legal framework for managing Q-fever,” explains Basiladze, “While it has not reached the epidemic levels seen in some countries, it causes risks—particularly in rural farming communities. WOAH’s role is crucial as it develops international standards and supporting frameworks.” 

Setting up for success 

Georgia’s efforts align with the One Health Joint Plan of Action initiative. This plan seeks to integrate systems and build capacity to collectively tackle health threats at the animal-human-environment interface with specific attention given to controlling and eliminating endemic zoonoses, neglected tropical diseases, and vector-borne diseases. 

Basiladze encourages other countries looking to implement a One Health approach to engage in active coordination and joint health workshops. “It is also crucial to elaborate a unified health action plan,” he advises, “Create a list of priority disease in the country, and conduct a joint risk assessment.” From there, countries can begin to implement basic One Health measures like vaccination, active and passive surveillance, treatment and awareness campaigns to educate farmers and the broader public about animal diseases.  

His emphasis on collaboration and joint health efforts perfectly reflects the core principle of One Health: diseases cannot be contained in silos; their treatment requires multi-sectoral cooperation. One Health ensures that all sectors and disciplines contribute to protecting the health of animals, humans and the environment. One Health initiatives, like Georgia’s, enable Veterinary Services, communities, international organisations and public health sectors to work together to prevent the spread of disease. Because animal health is our health. It’s everyone’s health.