Launch of the framework for early warning of animal health threats

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is organizing a webinar on 29 October 2025, 14:00 – 15:00 CET, to officially launch the new Framework for early warning of animal health threats. Developed to support the improvement of early warning systems at national level, this practical roadmap focuses specifically on the global health risks associated with infectious animal diseases. 

Effective early warning systems (EWS) are a critical component of reducing risk, as they provide the capacity to generate and disseminate timely and meaningful warning information. This enables individuals, communities and organizations threatened by a hazard to prepare and act appropriately, with sufficient lead time to reduce the severity of harm or loss. However, gaps in regulatory, institutional, governance and coordination strategies can hinder the operationalization of EWS and the integration of risk information into evidence-based decision-making across sectors 

The upcoming event will present the new FAO framework, which addresses these challenges by providing countries with a practical roadmap to strengthen surveillance, monitoring, risk assessment, communication, and decision-making systems to prevent and mitigate animal health threats—contributing to food security, public health, and sustainable agrifood systems.

What to expect: 

• Introduction to the core objectives and foundational structure of the framework.
• Insights into technical guidance for operationalizing and managing EWS.
• Discussion of the four key components: risk monitoring, surveillance for early detection, communication and information delivery, and preparedness to respond.
• Country insights into practical adoption of the framework.
• An opportunity to reflect on where we go next – what tools and guidelines should we develop now to support countries with practical implementation of the framework?
• Opportunities for questions and answers.