The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Health Organization, and the World Organisation for Animal Health have renewed their Quadripartite Memorandum of Understanding on One Health, extending their cooperation through 2030. The renewed agreement reaffirms the four organizations’ shared commitment to advancing the One Health approach, which recognizes the close interconnection between the health of humans, animals, plants, ecosystems, and the environment.
Building on years of collaboration and joint achievements, the renewed MoU strengthens coordinated and multisectoral action to address current and emerging health challenges at the human–animal–environment interface. It provides a continued legal and operational framework for collaboration, enabling the organizations to leverage their respective mandates and expertise more effectively in tackling complex global health risks.
The agreement reinforces cooperation across several critical priority areas, including strengthening health systems, preventing and responding to epidemics and pandemics, controlling endemic and neglected diseases, addressing antimicrobial resistance, improving food safety, and systematically integrating environmental considerations into One Health policies and actions. These areas reflect growing recognition that health threats are increasingly shaped by environmental change, globalisation, and interactions across sectors.
Guided by principles of cooperation, shared responsibility, inclusiveness, equity, and gender equality, the Quadripartite partners will continue to support countries and stakeholders with evidence-based policies and coordinated action. Through this renewed commitment, FAO, UNEP, WHO, and WOAH aim to reduce health risks and promote sustainable, long-term health outcomes for people, animals, ecosystems, and the wider environment worldwide.
