Towards a healthy co-existence of people, animals & ecosystems

Our Purpose

Epidemics and pandemics kill, disrupt lives, and can destabilise entire economies and societies. There is not one simple answer on how to prevent them in the future, and not a single actor, institution or government could achieve this by themselves. The only chance we have is to work together towards reducing the risk of zoonotic spillover – with all its inherent health and economical damage – through primary prevention as the common goal. 

Among national and international actions for pandemic prevention, zoonotic spillover risks from wildlife are still dangerously underrepresented. Wild mammals and birds alone carry hundreds of thousands currently unknown viruses, which have the potential to jump to humans. However, it is not wildlife itself that poses a risk, but the human behaviour, which offers many critical control points at which we can reduce the chances of pathogen spillover from wildlife while protecting it for future generations. This is where the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade comes in. 

The work of the Alliance focuses on two goals

1. Substantially reducing the risks of zoonotic spillover and stepping up responses (including behavioral changes) to human and animal health risks caused by direct and indirect contact with wildlife and their products along the wildlife trade chain.

and

2. Enhancing international and national awareness, knowledge and policies with regard to goal 1, thus narrowing the gap between science and implementation.

In a collaborative process, our members – spanning a wide spectrum of international political and civil society organisations as well as indigenous people’s organisations and networks – have identified these goals as their shared ambition. In a wider sense, we also give advice on topics and support projects that contribute to our shared vision and mission: 

Vision

The Members of the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade envision a world of healthy and safe coexistence of people, animals, and the ecosystems that they are part of – underpinned by the recognition of their close links and interdependence.

Mission

The International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade is an open, inclusive and collaborative space where stakeholders join forces to better understand and reduce the threat of pathogen spillover from wildlife trade and markets, providing and communicating evidence, supporting interventions, thereby, reducing the risk of future outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics, while concurrently improving health, equity, and well-being for all species – through a One Health approach. 

How we work to reach our goals 

Strategies to identify and address health risks across the wildlife trade spectrum need to be context specific. Taking a One Health approach, we work in a culture-sensitive manner, drawing on the diverse backgrounds, expertise and perspectives of our members.  

We translate the commitment, knowledge and political will of our members into impact by providing and communicating evidence; helping to design countermeasures;  supporting and evaluating interventions on the ground;  providing a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among disciplines, organisations and individuals. 

To governments and community authorities, we offer evidence-based consultation and guidance based on their needs and areas of interest. Depending on each context and challenge at hand, we can draw from our vast pool of experts – be it researchers, political advisors, or local experts within the Alliance’s member organisations.  In all our actions, we solely support measures that conserve biodiversity, are consistent with human rights, and implemented in a gender-sensitive way. 

Our history and structure 

In September 2021, the Alliance was launched as an inclusive and interdisciplinary platform at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille. Within the first year, more than 180 national and international political, academic, and civil society organizations, have joined as members, confirming their commitment to our two central goals. To support our members and to bundle the Alliance’s numerous activities, the Alliance is led and coordinated by its Steering Committee and the Secretariat. 

Steering Committee & Secretariat

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee formulates the strategic plan for the Alliance and set targets for further development and orientation. It identifies topics and priorities for the Alliance’s focus and represents the Alliance and its goals, engage and communicate with other initiatives and external partners in different fora and platforms. It was elected by all Alliance members in June 2022 for a term of three years. To ensure a true representation of the complexity and wealth of our topic and our membership, the Steering Committee is structured in designated seats as follows:

Health & microbiology

Professor Alex D. Greenwood, PhD

Head of Department of Wildlife Diseases

Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany

Wildlife trade, biodiversity conservation

Dr. Barbara Maas

Head of Endangered Species Conservation

NABU International

Global environmental change & big picture

Hongying Li

Senior Programs Manager & Senior Scientist

EcoHealth Alliance

Law, regulation

Dr. Susan Lieberman

Vice-President, International Policy

Wildlife Conservation Society

Anthropology, psychology, behavioral & social sciences

Jamie K. Reaser, PhD

Senior Transdisciplinary Scientist & Policy Analyst

Smithsonian Institution/ Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute

Africa

Dauda Ayomide Onawola

Wildlife Veterinarian & Executive Director

One Health in Action Initiative, Nigeria

Latin America & Caribbean (shared seat)

Marcela Fresno

Assistant professor, researcher and One Health Master’s director, Universidad de Las Américas, Chile (UDLA)

Red One Health Latinoamérica, Ibero y El Caribe (OHLAIC)

Latin America & Caribbean (shared seat)

Christina Pettan-Brewer MV, DVM, MSc

Senior Veterinarian, Co-Director and Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Medicine School of Medicine

University of Washington, Seattle

Asia, Pacific & Oceania

Dr. Sandul Yasobant

Co-Lead cum Researcher

Centre for One Health Education, Research & Development (COHERD), Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG), India

Governmentals or governmental agencies

Chadia Wannous, PhD

One Health Senior Specialist and Global Coordinator

World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)

Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ Representative

Bupe Ritha Banda

IPLCs working Group Chair

Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) International

Representative for Individual Members

Dr. Craig Stephen

President, McEachran Institute, Canada

Secretariat

The Alliance was initiated by the German government, and its secretariat is currently run by the GIZ | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in Germany. The secretariat facilitates the smooth operation of the Alliance and its progress towards the Alliance’s goals. It supports the Steering Committee in its work and serves as the Alliance central point of contact.

Dr. Michael Nagel

Head of GIZ-Program

Johannes Keil

Advisor Governance

Dr. Beate Henrichfreise

Advisor

Alice Giulia Brandt

Advisor One Health, Biodiversity and Health

Ulrike Bühler

Finance Manager

Ann-Kristin Konzak

Junior Advisor

Nora Leonie Rust

Junior Specialist

Luisa Krakau

Intern

Documents

During a six-months inception phase, our members co-created 3 core documents which reflect our foundational values and principles and guide our collaborative work.  The Charter outlines our mission, vision, and goals of the Alliance

  • The Charter outlines our mission, vision, and the goals of the Alliance.   
  • The Operational Manual outlines all technical details of our mode of operation and cooperation within the Alliance. To become a member, an applicant shall consent to both documents. 
  • The Glossary defines the relevant terminology for the context of the Alliance. 

Contact us

Are you interested in our consultancy services for governmental organisations or have questions about a membership? Please reach out to us.