Global technical consultation on the strategic framework for early warning of animal health threats

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) is organizing a global consultation to develop a strategic framework for early warning of animal health threats. From 6 to 8 November 2023, international experts from various sectors will convene in Rome to identify priorities and gaps for effective prevention and control of high-impact animal diseases, including zoonoses, at national, regional and global levels.

Effective Early Warning systems (EWS) provide the capacity to generate and disseminate timely and meaningful warning information on hazards to enable communities and organizations to prepare and react early to reduce the impacts. An efficient early warning system should include risk monitoring, risk assessments, analysis and forecasting, dissemination and preparedness at all levels to respond to the warnings received.

 

Existing gaps within legal, institutional, and coordination frameworks can prevent the practical implementation of EWS and the integration of risk data into decision-making processes across all sectors.

To address these challenges, FAO is working to develop a comprehensive strategic framework for the early warning of animal health threats. This framework will outline the technical components and institutional setup, clearly delineating priorities, roles, responsibilities, and necessary actions for putting EWS into practice and managing it effectively.

Effective early warning is essential to meet the SDG targets of building resilience to disasters (SDG1.5) and managing global health risks (SDG3.D). It is a key focus area of the One Health priority programme area (OH PPA), part of the better production goal of the FAO strategic framework 2022-2031, which seeks transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. The framework will also contribute to the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA), advancing national capacity for early warning of health threats under the three main pathways of change established in the OH JPA theory of change: policy, legislation, advocacy, and financing; organizational development, implementation and sectoral integration; and data, evidence, and knowledge.

 

The event will be accessible both in-person by invitation and virtually, ensuring global participation in the initiative.