Director-General Qu Dongyu,
Director-General Monique Eloit,
Executive Director Inger Andersen,
Dear colleagues and friends,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the first ever Quadripartite Executive Annual Meeting. It is an honour to host you today.
WHO, together with FAO and WOAH, are especially pleased to welcome UNEP to the Quadripartite collaboration, highlighting the integral role of the environmental sector and cementing our commitment to work together at the human–animal–plant–environmental interface.
WHO established the One Health Initiative in 2021 to coordinate our work both within the organization and with external partners.
Human health does not exist in a vacuum, and nor can our efforts to protect and promote it.
With this common understanding, WHO is committed to working with our partners to promote the One Health approach and support its adoption around the world.
We are proud to chair the Quadripartite this year and to have worked with all of you to launch the One Health Joint Plan of Action to help countries address multidimensional health risks, strengthen health systems, and help to prevent future pandemics.
At the very core of One Health is close collaboration, communication and coordination.
We established the One Health High-Level Expert Panel to provide scientific advice to the Quadripartite.
We welcome the establishment of the One Health Group of Friends, made up of Member States who are keen to advocate for more political commitment, including for better One Health governance and coordination.
We also welcome the adoption of One Health as a guiding principle in the intergovernmental negotiating process for the pandemic accord.
Going forward, it is important that we have a concrete plan in place that outlines how we implement One Health at all levels.
The Quadripartite is currently leading the development of a guide to support countries to establish and further strengthen their One Health systems and capacities.
I'd like to acknowledge the integral role that regional colleagues from all four organizations have had in shaping this guide.
To complement this collaborative work, the Quadripartite is organizing several regional stakeholder workshops to facilitate the implementation of the One Health Joint Plan of Action.
Long-term investment, funding and resources will be vital to its success.
Although the Quadripartite has been engaged with various high-level events this past year, our work does not just stop there.
It is important that we are continuously advocating for One Health.
Let me leave you with three priorities going forward:
First, to continue to advocate for One Health, to raise political awareness and commitment – this is why we are launching today a Call to Action.
Second, engage with and support relevant stakeholders for implementation in countries;
Third, work to develop and sustain financial investment so that One Health policies can be fully realized.
I thank you all for your continued partnership, collaboration and support and look forward to working with all of you for a healthier, safer, fairer and more resilient world.
I thank you.