FAO’s Engagement during the 76th World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization
Geneva - The Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly (WHA76) was held from the 21-30 May 2023 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, focusing on the theme of “WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all”.FAO actively contributed to discussions on various agenda items and participated in several side events relevant to FAO’s work.
FAO statements during the WHA76
To address health issues closely linked to agrifood systems, FAO Liaison Office in Geneva (LOG) in consultation with concerned units* delivered three FAO statements to contribute to the discussions at the WHA. Dominique Burgeon, LOG Director delivered an in-person statement under the Item 3 general discussion of the plenary meeting of WHA76, in which FAO acknowledged WHO for leading global health efforts and particularly on the response to COVID-19 Pandemic and for coordinating the work of the Quadripartite Secretariat(QPT) during 2022.It is also highlighted that FAO promotes the One Health approach for agrifood systems transformation and global health security through FAO’s One Health Priority Program Area and the QPT One Health Joint Plan of Action.
Under Item 15.1Strengthening the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience, FAO underscored that most human pandemic-causing pathogens have animal origin, and several drivers underpin the emergence and spillover of pandemic threats including environmental degradation, encroachment on wildlife habitat, increased interactions between humans and animals, consumption of wild-sourced food, climate change and others. Therefore, WHO international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (WHO CA+) would not be complete without a solid and thorough One Health approach being incorporated as a main pillar and foundation of the Treaty.
In addition, FAO contributed to the discussion of Item 15.3 Global Health for Peace Initiative, recognizing that health, conflict and peace are closely interconnected, and both animal and human health interventions can serve as pathways to improve the prospects for community-level peace. It is also noted that FAO’s humanitarian and development support to countries addresses community engagement, including animal health programmes as an entry point to support dialogue and peace between different groups in remote and challenging contexts.
Side events where FAO was around the table
Moreover, FAO participated in a number of side events in the margin of the World Health Assembly, which include, among others, the session organised by the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance and Joint QPT secretariat for AMR, and the Pandemic Fund High-Level Roundtable organised by WHO and the World Bank. FAO also took part in the high-level panel discussion on accelerating action on Antimicrobial Resistance at the Saudi Arabia missionfeaturing a key noteaddress from Hanan Balkhy, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR, and the Group of One Health friends meeting with the Quadripartite, where FAO actively interacted and exchanged with health officials from permanent missions. At this event, FAO called on leaders to continue advocating for linking health and agrifood sectors by investing in an integrated systemic One Health approach through the national agrifood systems transformative pathways.
WHO’s 76th World Health Assembly
The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Members and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.1
Resources:
- FAO’s work on One Health