WOAH highlights animal health as key to global biosecurity

SWITZERLAND – Animal health took centre stage at the World Organisation for Animal Health’s (WOAH) Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction, held from October 28–30, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland, as experts warned that global security depends on safeguarding animal populations from both natural and deliberate biological threats.

The landmark conference brought together leading scientists, policymakers, and security specialists to tackle growing global risks amid conflict, climate change, and rapid technological advances. 

The event underscored the urgent need for cooperation across human, animal, and environmental health sectors to build resilient systems capable of preventing and responding to biological threats.

“In our increasingly connected and complex world, global health security is also a matter of national security, which makes veterinarians the frontline of defense,” said Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran, Director General of WOAH. 

“Yet, protecting against biological threats requires united action across sectors: security, human, animal and environmental health.”

A world unprepared for biological shocks

According to WOAH, the misuse or accidental release of animal pathogens could have catastrophic consequences. 

More than 75% of emerging diseases and 80% of agents with bioterrorist potential are zoonotic, transmissible between animals and humans. 

Production animals account for 40% of global agricultural value, and nearly one in five people rely on them for their livelihood. These figures highlight how animal health is not only a veterinary concern but also a cornerstone of global stability.

The COVID-19 pandemic offered a stark reminder of the world’s vulnerability to biological threats.

The 2019 Global Health Security Index had already warned that most nations were ill-prepared for major outbreaks. 

Within a year, the pandemic exposed systemic weaknesses in public health infrastructure, demonstrating how a biological agent, whether accidental or weaponised, could destabilise economies and societies worldwide.

Today, technological advancements such as artificial intelligence and synthetic biology have compounded the risk. 

“With fractured barriers to access and development, it has become increasingly possible for anyone with malicious intent to create and deploy bioweapons,” WOAH warned. 

Animals, in particular, could be targeted in attacks designed to disrupt food systems and weaken national economies.

Building global resilience

Throughout the three-day event at the CICG Conference Centre, near the United Nations’ Palace of Nations, discussions spanned a range of interconnected topics, from climate change and cybersecurity to misinformation and laboratory safety. 

Delegates explored how cross-sectoral collaboration can reinforce preparedness and response to biological incidents.

WOAH also showcased its ongoing initiatives to strengthen national capacities against biological threats. 

These include the Building Resilience against Agro-crime and Agro-terrorism project with FAO and INTERPOL, and Fortifying Institutional Resilience against Biological Threats, supported by the Canadian government. 

The organisation also partners with the World Health Organization (WHO) on programmes promoting responsible scientific research and sustainable laboratory management.

“The eradication of rinderpest, a deadly livestock disease, the first major achievement in animal health and the very reason WOAH was founded, showed the world what global collaboration can accomplish,” said Soubeyran. 

“It reminds us that only through collective effort and trust was it possible to eliminate a devastating disease.”

Strengthening global commitments

The Geneva meeting also marked a symbolic moment in global disarmament efforts, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the 100th anniversary of the Geneva Protocol. 

Both milestones reinforced the call for renewed political will to reduce biological risks and prevent their misuse.

“In a world shaped by geopolitical shifts and rising risks enabled by technology, animal health is something we should protect at all costs,” Soubeyran concluded. “It’s not just about animal health, it’s about our security, too. By strengthening biological threat reduction, we protect entire communities. We protect our shared planet.”

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