Issued at the Fourth Quadripartite Executive Annual Meeting, 8-9 April 2026
Preventing future health crises requires urgent, coordinated action that recognizes the deep interconnections between the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems. As global challenges intensify including emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change the One Health approach has become essential to strengthening prevention, preparedness, response and resilience worldwide.
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) met in Lyon, France, for the Fourth Quadripartite Executive Annual Meeting to advance coordinated global action on One Health.
Building on the One Health Joint Plan of Action, the Quadripartite is advancing progress across four interdependent priority areas:
Advancing implementation at country level
Translating commitments into action remains a central priority. The Quadripartite continues to support countries in operationalizing the One Health approach through strengthened multisectoral coordination, national planning processes, and capacity development. Scaling up implementation is critical to achieving tangible and measurable impact.
Strengthening science, evidence and knowledge exchange
Effective One Health action relies on robust scientific evidence and integrated data across sectors. The Quadripartite is fostering collaboration with the scientific community, strengthening knowledge systems, and promoting the use of Indigenous and community knowledges to inform decision-making, guide interventions and monitor progress.
Enhancing policy engagement and governance
Sustained political commitment and strong governance are essential to embed One Health into national and international agendas. The Quadripartite is supporting countries in developing enabling legal and policy frameworks, strengthening governance mechanisms and promoting coherent approaches across ministries and sectors.
Mobilizing sustainable financing for One Health
Adequate and coordinated financing is necessary to sustain implementation and scale up impact. The Quadripartite is working with governments and partners to strengthen investment frameworks, align resources, and support countries in integrating One Health into national budgeting and development strategies. As we enter the next year of our joint work as the Quadripartite, under WHOs chairmanship, we must use this meeting to shift from dialogue to delivery ensuring we embed a One Health approach at the heart of our collective efforts to help restore ecosystems and protect the health of people and planet, said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. Together, these priorities enable countries to minimize risks at source, detect emerging threats early, and respond effectively to health events, while building resilient systems. Strengthened surveillance and early warning systems, actions that address shared needs such as clean water, resilient food and agricultural systems, healthy ecosystems, are essential components of this approach.
Scaling up One Health requires sustained commitment across all three sectors. The Quadripartite calls on governments, international financial institutions, development partners and the private sector to support integrated action by strengthening implementation, investing in science and data, reinforcing governance and policy frameworks, and ensuring sustainable financing.
Advancing One Health is essential to reducing risks at the humananimalenvironment interface and to building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable societies. The Quadripartite organizations reaffirm their commitment to working together and with partners worldwide to deliver coordinated, impactful and sustainable One Health action.
