FAO and International Society of Zoological Sciences advance collaboration on One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance

Rome, Italy. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Society of Zoological Sciences (ISZS) have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to enhance international cooperation and academic exchange in support of sustainable consumption and production, in line with the One Health approach and FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–31.

The signatories were Dr Thanawat Tiensin, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of the Animal Production and Health Division, and Dr Zhibin Zhang, ISZS Representative and Member of the Executive Committee.

Through this collaboration, FAO and ISZS aim to strengthen coordination on monitoring, prevention and control of pests and diseases in a real of One Health, including zoonotic diseases and interventions to reduce the need for antimicrobial use. The partnership will foster a One Health approach that bridges pest and disease management across humans, animals, and ecosystems.

The two organizations have a long-standing collaboration on the prevention and control of forest invasive species, dating back to 2012 through FAO’s Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species Network (APFISN).

Dr Tiensin said “This Letter of Intent outlines FAO’s commitment to address various zoological challenges through international coordination and knowledge exchange initiatives. “

Dr Zhang, ISZS, said “We will work closely with FAO in dealing with challenge of pests and diseases under accelerated global change using one health approach. This collaboration reflects our determination to implement the One Health Joint Plan of Action 2022-2026 jointly launched by FAO, WHO, WAHO and UNEP”.

This partnership marks a key step toward global efforts to optimize the health of people, animals, plants, forests, and ecosystems, and mitigate the risks of emerging pests and zoonotic diseases through improved biosecurity and international collaboration.

About the International Society of Zoological Sciences

ISZS is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 2004 and headquartered in Beijing, China. Its mission is to promote the advancement of zoological science by fostering communication, collaboration, and coordination among zoologists and zoological organizations worldwide.