IUCN signs One Health Partnership MOU in Viet Nam with Nature for Health commitment
On April 24, 2026, IUCN and UNDP staff attended the One Health Partnership (OHP) MOU signing ceremony and the review of the OHP 2026-2030 Master Plan. IUCN and UNDP representatives signed the MOU with 57 other signatories. In Viet Nam, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s International Cooperation Department (ICD) serves as OHP Secretariat.
Photo: Mr. Jake Brunner - Head of IUCN LMS presented about N4H at OHP Master Plan review © IUCN Viet Nam
Photo: MOH Vice Minister Tran Van Thuan (left) and MAE Vice Minister Phung Duc Tien (right) signed OHP MOU 2026-2030
Photo: Mr. Jake Brunner - Head of IUCN LMS signed OHP MOU along with other 57 organisations © OHP/MAE
Photo: MAE Vice Minister Phung Duc Tien delivered an opening remark at OHP MOU signing © OHP/MAE
Photo: Group photo of participants at OHP MOU signing © OHP/MAE
In collaboration with ICD, IUCN and UNDP have started to implement Nature for Health (N4H) in Viet Nam. N4H is a German-funded global initiative working to prevent pandemics by addressing their environmental drivers. From a N4H perspective, the event was encouraging.
In the morning session, FAO identified the importance of effectively engaging the wildlife and environment sectors as a paradigm shift needed to move OHP in VN from “status quo” to “good” and from “good” to “great”. See slide.
IUCN presented the N4H project design, recalling that 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic and that 70% of those zoonotic diseases originate in wildlife. Consequently, the single most effective and cost-effective way to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease spillover is to conserve wildlife in their natural habitat, which is the focus of N4H implementation in Viet Nam.
ICD presented the OHP’s six pillars, five of which are led by a technical working group (TWG). See slide.
This triggered a lot of discussion because some participants argued that, for example, animal welfare is part of pillars 1, 2, and 4, which it is. Similarly, in the N4H theory of change, pillar 3 is fundamental to pillar 1. In summing up, FAO’s Dr Scott Newman said that for OHP in Viet Nam to become a global leader and provide a model for others to follow, it should do the following:
- Standardize the names and TOR of the TWGs and make sure they all include capacity building, data sharing, and external communications functions.
- Since wildlife is the “weakest link” in OHP, strengthen the participation of agencies responsible for biodiversity conservation, wildlife conservation, and protected area management.
- Establish a training program on wildlife and ecosystem health.
- Establish provincial level OHPs in selected provinces.
- Set up flexible mechanism for the private sector to engage and contribute.
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