One Health

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.

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.

Third Quadripartite Executive Annual Meeting

25 -27 March 2025

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.

One Health intelligence

Operational global One Health intelligence is the first step towards the identification and mitigation of risks against emerging, endemic and epidemic diseases, and threats to environmental health and food security.

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.

Highlights

Rwanda Pandemic Fund

Highlights

Rwanda advances plans for state-of-the-art National Reference Veterinary Laboratory

02/05/2025

Rwanda validates key step towards building a national reference veterinary laboratory to strengthen animal health and pandemic preparedness.

©FAO/Eduardo Soteras

Highlights

Why plant health matters in the One Health approach

28/04/2025

The One Health approach recognizes the intricate web of life. Unhealthy plants can trigger a cascade of negative effects, impacting animal...

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...

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