The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is organizing its first-ever Global Conference on Animal Health Innovation, Reference Centres and Vaccines from 23 to 25 September at FAO headquarters (Rome, Italy). The event aims to advance global efforts to enhance animal health, prevent disease outbreaks, and promote sustainable livestock production and One Health implementation, all while protecting human health and food security.

This conference will provide a forum for FAO Members to discuss major challenges and priorities in animal health and One Health. With the active participation of Reference Centres, vaccine developers and producers, veterinary laboratories, research institutions, and development partners, it will serve as a collaborative platform to develop targeted solutions, foster innovation to tackle global and regional issues, and advocate for best practices to transform the livestock sector. It will also serve as a platform for each FAO region to articulate their challenges and specific priorities, providing an invaluable opportunity for dialogue with conference stakeholders to explore potential support mechanisms.

In line with FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the theme highlights the importance of strengthening the Reference Centres networks and increase accessibility of quality vaccines and support vaccination strategies aimed at improving animal health to make livestock systems more environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable, including safeguarding public health and facilitating trade in livestock and animal products, at global, regional, and national level.

This conference aims to:

1. Provide a comprehensive overview of FAO's mandate in controlling animal and zoonotic diseases, addressing health threats and emergencies, facilitating vaccine procurement, and advancing capacity building initiatives aligned with the SDGs.

2. Give Member countries the opportunity to identify the key priorities and challenges they face across the different regions and explore opportunities for collaborative support aimed at addressing these priorities and effectively overcoming challenges.

3. Establish a collaborative platform between FAO Members and various stakeholders, fostering a long-term commitment to develop targeted solutions, drive innovation in addressing global and regional priorities, and champion sustainable livestock transformation.

4. Highlight the importance of veterinary vaccines in the control and eradication of animal diseases, underscoring current challenges and the potential offered by innovative approaches in vaccinology to address some of these challenges, ensuring availability, accessibility, and affordability of high quality vaccines.

Six side events and an exhibit in the FAO Atrium will also be an integral part of the Global Conference.

Lastly, this conference provides an opportunity to mark some significant anniversaries in global animal health – the 30th anniversary of the Emergency Prevention System for Animal Health (EMPRES-AH), the 20th anniversary of Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), 20th Anniversary of the FAO/World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) Global Framework for Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs); the 60th anniversary of the Joint FAO/IAEA Center, and the 70th anniversary of the European Commission for the Control of Foot and-Mouth Disease.

The Conference will be webcasted. Further information about side events and webcast links will be made available here.