Africa pushes One Health Agenda as stakeholders demand funded action beyond declarations

Published: April 13, 2026

MONROVIA — More than 200 stakeholders spanning human, animal and environmental health sectors have issued a strong call for action, urging that commitments under the One Health framework move beyond declarations to concrete, measurable and fully funded interventions.

The participants, drawn from public institutions, academia, civil society, the media and African youth, made the call during an April 3 webinar, stressing that the One Health approach must become a driving force for health sovereignty, sustainable development, climate resilience and equity across Africa and the Global South.

Discussions centered on both the persistent challenges and emerging opportunities in implementing the One Health approach across the continent. Participants warned that Africa risks stagnation if bold commitments remain rhetorical, emphasizing the urgent need for policy execution, financing and institutional coordination.

The webinar builds on outcomes from the One Sustainable Health for All Forum, with previous engagements held in Dakar and culminating in the Lyon Declaration adopted in November 2025. Key institutions, including Galien Africa, reaffirmed the continent’s ambition to take a leadership role in advancing integrated, cross-sectoral health systems. As the African lead for working groups emerging from the forum, Galien Africa has continued to promote a unified model linking human, animal and environmental health while amplifying African perspectives globally.

Participants underscored that ongoing health, climate, environmental and food crises expose the deep interdependence between ecosystems and human well-being. They stressed that Africa’s growing pool of innovations, local expertise and community-driven initiatives positions the continent as a critical player in shaping a resilient and equitable global health architecture.

Stakeholders identified several urgent priorities, including the necessity of integrated, multisectoral approaches to global health security, the growing threat posed by climate change and biodiversity loss, the importance of health sovereignty, the need to strengthen local innovation and reduce external dependency, improved data integration across scientific and health systems, and the critical role of youth, women and communities in sustaining policy success.

Participants called on governments, regional bodies and international partners to institutionalize the One Health approach across governance systems, develop integrated early warning mechanisms, invest in geospatial data and digital technologies, promote African-led innovation, accelerate local production of health solutions, strengthen human capital development and elevate the role of civil society and the media in global health governance.

At the close of the engagement, participants issued a unified demand that commitments translate into visible impact on the ground, calling for the One Health approach to serve as a key driver for health sovereignty, sustainable development, climate resilience and health equity across Africa and the Global South.

Participants also reaffirmed their collective resolve to continue dialogue, strengthen multisectoral partnerships and actively contribute to the work of the 2026 One Health Summit in Lyon.