One Health

© FAO Petterik Wiggers

Quadripartite collaboration on One Health

In March 2022, four international agencies – FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), signed a groundbreaking agreement to strengthen cooperation to sustainably balance and optimize the health of humans, animals, plants and the environment. This partnership extended the former Tripartite (FAO, WHO and WOAH) and marked a new era of One Health collaboration.

The Quadripartite agencies develop and implement multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary approaches to complex health challenges at the animal-human-plant-environment interface, with particular focus on antimicrobial resistance and emerging zoonotic diseases. Initial areas of cooperation also include emerging and endemic zoonotic diseases (including foodborne AMR and diseases), antimicrobial resistance, food safety, environmental determinants of health and strengthening of health systems.  

Effective One Health planning, communication, collaboration and response efforts occur when government officials, policy makers, researchers and practitioners join forces across sectors at the local, national, regional and global levels. The Quadripartite supports their Members or State Parties in One Health and embraces, collaboration, coordination and capacity building. At the global level, the Quadripartite advocates for One Health implementation at international events, such as G20 Meetings, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, and the World One Health Congress. 

Coordination and implementation
One Health High-Level Expert Panel

The One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) is a interdisciplinary initiative by FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH to improve our understanding of how diseases with the potential to trigger pandemics, emerge and spread.

Antimicrobial resistance quadripartite

The aim of the AMR quadripartite is to maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobials and ensure sustainable and equitable access to antimicrobials for responsible and prudent use in human, animal and plant health.

One Health Joint Plan of Action and guidance

The plan of action guides the four organizations of the Quadripartite collaboration (FAO, UNEP, WHO, WOAH) to work together on One Health.

Highlights
Webinar
Stronger together: webinar series on pandemic prevention and response
26/06/2025

This webinar series creates a collaborative space where countries and institutions can exchange experiences, discuss challenges, and identify practical...

Highlights
Regional leaders unite to strengthen One Health approach in historic agreement
02/06/2025

FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH join forces to advance the One Health approach across the Near East, North Africa and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

Highlights
The WHO Pandemic Agreement: A landmark for One Health
30/05/2025

On 20 May 2025, the World Health Assembly adopted a Resolution endorsing the draft WHO Pandemic Agreement - the second such agreement adopted...

Highlights
One Health global policies and declarations
29/05/2025

The global community has increasingly recognized the importance of the One Health approach to address complex, interconnected challenges, like zoonotic...

© FAO/Andrew Esiebo
Highlights
Inventory of One Health tools and resources
28/05/2025

This inventory of One Health tools and resources was compiled by OHHLEP to identify tools available to support the implementation of the One...

Highlights
One Health Communities of Practice
18/04/2025

These Communities of Practice give people interested in One Health space to learn, share, generate, exchange, discuss and refine knowledge...