FIRST MEETING OF THE ONE HEALTH HIGH LEVEL EXPERT (OHHLEP)

FIRST MEETING OF THE ONE HEALTH HIGH LEVEL EXPERT (OHHLEP)

FAO DIRECTOR-GENERAL

17 May 2021

 

Distinguished experts, 

1. This is a milestone in paving a new way for One Health.  
2. I congratulate all of you for the nomination to join this important High-Level Panel of Experts.  
3. You were selected from the large and diverse scientific community, from all regions of the world.
4. By becoming members of the Panel, you committed to contribute your time, expertise, knowledge and ideas to the work on One Health, to ensure that policy responses are guided by the best available science.
5. This panel will contribute to advancing the One Health agenda, by helping to better understand the root causes of disease emergence and spread, and informing decision-makers to prevent long-term public health risks.  
6. It is a big responsibility, and I encourage you to be a shining example of silo-breaking and system thinking.
7. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the linkages between the health of humans, animals and ecosystems as zoonotic diseases spread between animals and people.
8. Expectations for collective action and the need for effective collaboration have never been higher. 
9. FAO’s vision for the next decade is the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
10. One Health is essential to all these goals, as agri-food systems are at the intersection of People, Animals and the Environment. 
11. On this front, we work closely with our Tripartite partners and UNEP.
12. FAO is coordinating the Tripartite for the coming year and we look forward to interacting with your panel.  
13. We are committed to jointly develop a Global Plan of Action for One Health, where your panel could have an important advisory role.   
14. The timeline is ambitious, but we need to work on multiple fronts to address the challenges.
15. We need to scale-up our efforts and contribute to preventing future outbreaks of diseases.
16. There is much for us to do together, and we trust your expertise will contribute to shaping the One Health future that we all aspire.    
17. Thank you