From Tunis to the region: One Health must now move from words to action

Khaleej Times

4 days ago

When we gathered in Tunis for the first One Health Mena Conference, it was with a shared sense of urgency — but also with a shared recognition of responsibility. The health threats facing our region are no longer distant risks or isolated events. Over the past years, we have witnessed the far-reaching consequences of pandemics, the silent escalation of antimicrobial resistance, the accelerating impacts of climate change, and the alarming erosion of biodiversity. These challenges are deeply interconnected. They cross borders and sectors, demanding responses that are equally integrated, coordinated, and forward-looking.
This is precisely why One Health can no longer remain a theoretical aspiration, or a technical concept discussed only in specialised forums. It must become the foundation of how we think about health security in the 21st century — an approach that acknowledges the profound links between human health, animal health, environmental stability, and food systems. In Tunis, this shared conviction was translated into action through the adoption of the Carthage Declaration for One Health, voluntarily endorsed by all participating countries.
The declaration sets out a flexible but ambitious roadmap, one that respects the diversity of national realities while promoting joint action. It focuses on four key pillars: early warning and joint surveillance, integrated vaccination, systematic health and environmental data sharing, and robust capacity building. But declarations alone are not enough. As recent global crises have shown us, it takes sustained political will, long-term investment, and strong regional cooperation to turn commitments into concrete results.
There is indeed strong political will today, along with a clear commitment to working together, and I believe the Carthage Declaration provides us with the political basis to take this agenda forward. But now we need to move beyond words. The real test lies in how we operationalise these frameworks — how we get governments, supported by international organizations, to work together in a much more coordinated and holistic way to address One Health for the future of our societies and to prevent pandemics at their earliest stages. The road ahead is not only about strategy; it is about execution.
For Tunisia, this conference marks not an end point, but the beginning of a long-term strategic journey. We are committed to establishing a Regional Centre for One Health in Tunis, to serve as a platform for North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean — fostering dialogue, facilitating expertise exchange, strengthening surveillance systems, and supporting joint research and training efforts across countries.
Throughout the discussions in Tunis, clear regional priorities emerged: improving joint surveillance for zoonotic and cross-border diseases; addressing antimicrobial resistance through close coordination across health, agriculture and environment; improving food safety and security; and understanding and responding to the health consequences of climate change, particularly in fragile settings. These are complex, deeply connected challenges that require breaking down silos and building trust among institutions.
Looking ahead, it is essential we engage in a serious dialogue on investment in One Health. While others may articulate the scientific and technical dimensions of One Health, I want to stress the urgent need to ensure adequate and sustained financing of this agenda. One Health is both complex and unique. Its complexity stems from the multiple sectors involved — human health, animal health, agriculture, and environment — each with its own priorities, structures, and funding needs. The benefits of investing in One Health are broad and long-term — yet they are not always easily quantified. Nevertheless, this should not delay or discourage action.
The unique nature of One Health also lies in the combination of public and private sector responsibilities. The public sector plays an essential role — from research and preparedness to surveillance, regulation, and safeguarding public goods. Yet scaling up One Health investments requires active engagement of the private sector — not as an afterthought, but as an integral partner. Whether in infrastructure, supply chains, technology, or service delivery, there are significant opportunities where private sector expertise and investment can complement public sector leadership. The financial realities facing many countries in our region make this collaboration not only desirable, but necessary.
It is time to move beyond framing One Health only as a public sector responsibility. We must start talking about the business of One Health: about shared value, co-investment, and building sustainable models that deliver both public good and economic opportunity.
Encouragingly, we are already witnessing strong signals of confidence from our development partners. The World Bank and the Pandemic Fund have provided dedicated financing to support Tunisia's national One Health roadmap, helping us strengthen our multi-sectoral coordination and readiness. During the conference, we also advanced bilateral dialogue with neighboring countries — Algeria, Libya, and Palestine — identifying concrete areas for cooperation, including pharmaceutical manufacturing, preventive health, technical training, and skills exchange.
The momentum is here. Our citizens deserve health systems that are ready, resilient, and able to withstand the complex health threats of tomorrow. One Health offers a blueprint. But real success will require all of us — governments, international partners, private actors, scientists, and civil society — to move from declarations to sustained action.
You came to Tunis to join the conversation. Now it is time to join the action. This is a call to all governments in the Mena region: let us move forward, together, from dialogue to delivery — for the health security of our region, and for the generations to come.
Dr Mustapha Ferjani is Minister of Health, Tunisia.