On December 5, 2025, PREZODE held its annual General Assembly (GA) in a hybrid format, with GA delegates participating both online and in person in Paris, France.
The GA meeting was co-chaired by the outgoing PREZODE President of the GA, Dr. Papa Seck, and the incoming President, Dr. Soawapak Hinjoy. Dr. Thierry Lefrançois, Interim Secretary-General (SG) of PREZODE, and the other members of the PREZODE Executive Committee facilitated the meeting and its follow-up to the agenda. Dr. Thierry Caquet, Vice President of INRAE in charge of International Relations, welcomed the on-site participants.
Representing the French government, Mrs. Clara Pacheco, Head of Food Security, Nutrition, and Sustainable Agriculture at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, delivered a compelling speech, emphasizing the renewed trust in PREZODE as stated by the President of the French Republic on November 3rd during the OSH For All Forum. The One Health Summit, to be held on April 7, 2026, will reinforce this commitment.
Governance alternance
The Meeting acted the governance alternance, with the handover of the Presidency from Dr. Papa Seck (Senegal) to Dr. Soawapak Hinjoy (Thailand) and the establishment of a dual Vice Presidency. Dr. Nivian Montes de Osca Martínez (Cuba), and Dr. Jean-Médard Kankou (Congo). The GA endorsed the tandem, as both candidates received the same number of votes in the 2025 elections organized in November.
Dr. Papa Seck expressed his continued satisfaction and appreciation in assuming the role of chairperson for the General Assembly (GA) over the past two years. He extended his gratitude to the three founding institutes of the Initiative – CIRAD, INRAE, and IRD – for their continuous financial and in-kind support of PREZODE’s success.
Former and Incoming President, as well as newly elected vice presidents, received a strong positive response from the audience.
Membership
According to PREZODE’s rules, organizations applying for membership are endorsed by a majority of PREZODE members at the GA. We are thrilled to announce that 23 new members were endorsed during the last GA! Their wide range of expertise and locations is a great addition to the PREZODE community. Welcome to:
- Africa Coalition on TB (ACT Africa),
- Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute,
- Benin One Health Network for Excellence,
- CABI,
- Central African Network for Integrated Control of Antimicrobial Resistance (RACCIRAM),
- CFI – Canal France International,
- Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University – CVASU,
- Dispositif en Partenariat One Health Ocean Indien – dP OHOI,
- EANNASO,
- EpiX Analytics,
- European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare – EUPAHW,
- FOUR PAWS,
- Friendship Bangladesh,
- Institute of Vertebrate, Biology Czech Academy of Sciences,
- International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA),
- Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security,
- Laboratoire de diagnostic vétérinaire et de sérosurveillance – LADISERO,
- National Veterinary Research Institute – NIVR,
- Rural Infrastructure & Human Resource Development Organization (RIHRDO),
- SCDI Centre for Supporting Community Development Initiatives,
- University of Calgary,
- University of Western Australia – School of biomedical sciences,
- Rakuno Gakuen University.
Overview of major 2025 events and activities
Dr. Thierry Lefrançois, Interim Secretary General (SG) of PREZODE, informed the audience that the Secretariat benefits from a specific legal status (Association Loi 1901) as of June 2025. This status will grant the secretariat access to funding and the ability to organize specific collaborations.
He recalled that PREZODE participated in several high-level events during the past 12 months, making its mark at the World Resilience Summit, the World Health Summit, the World Animal Health Summit, the Paris Peace Forum, COP16 Biodiversity, IUCN Congress 2025, UNFCCC COP30, IPBES 10 Plenary, and in the UN General Assembly. The Initiative was mentioned during the G20 Health or G7 Health summits. Representatives of PREZODE participated in regional meetings through various formats, including panel sessions, roundtable discussions, and poster exhibits. You can get more information here
PREZODE’s work has earned international recognition. The initiative remains highly involved in joint working groups with the WHO, the WOAH, and the FAO. The dedication of the Initiative in promoting prevention and One Health in the Pandemic Agreement negotiations, as well as its current participation in the PABS discussion to implement the agreement, is a great achievement. (link to page)
The webinar series has already reached a growing audience, enhancing the scientific network and fueling discussions and research. The Initiative’s communication expanded significantly, with a redesigned and extended website, featuring additional documentation, and a growing audience for the newsletters, which are open to contributions from members and partners.
Two scientific publications have been submitted (and accepted early January): One in Nature Health, on “Preventing future pandemics: a global science-policy initiative,” and one in Scientific Data: “PREZODE.data: a comprehensive public database of operational needs and knowledge gaps to prevent zoonotic disease emergence.
The efforts in the proposal for the 3rd call of the Pandemic Fund and the preparation of a new proposal were highlighted.
Overview of the ongoing programs
The two ongoing PREZODE programs (PREACTs and PEPR PREZODE) support research and operational activities focusing on the development and implementation of sustainable solutions for the prevention of zoonoses in targeted regions and countries. Dr. Manon Lounnas, the Programs Coordinator, offered highlights on the initial achievements. She recalled that ASEACA, the last of the three projects structuring PREACTS (the other two being AfriCam and ASAMCO), funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), will be launched soon. More insights on PREACTS projects are available here.
She provided an overview of the 11 projects funded by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research through the PEPR following three calls for projects covering the first three pillars of the PREZODE scientific framework. All of the granted projects develop a One Health approach and link their activities with civil society and stakeholders. Projects span France, overseas territories, Africa, and Asia, and cover a wide range of approaches, from risk characterization to prevention and early warning surveillance, using both pathogen-specific and non–pathogen-centered perspectives.
Two experts involved in the programs: Mr. Patrice Landry Koudoum for PREACTs AfriCam projects and PEPR CAVICOR) and Dr. Andrea Chaves, Principal Investigator for the ASAMCO projects, shared their experience.
Activities of the Pillar Working Groups
Dr. Elsa Leger, Global Science Officer, emphasized the significant role of the Pillar Working Groups (PWGs) in advancing the scientific framework established by the PREZODE Strategic Agenda. These international groups, which bring together 87 experts from 37 countries, work on crucial issues to prevent zoonotic emergence. These issues include risk analysis, data systems, integrated surveillance systems, primary prevention strategies, equity issues, and strengthening One Health operationalization and governance. She delivered an overview of the PWGs’ initial achievements, namely:
- Priorities identified and used as a baseline for the PREZODE Pandemic Fund proposal (ENGAGE).
- Experts’ involvement in various PREZODE activities, such as the Webinar series, the writing of an op-ed, and articles.
- High-level deliverables are ongoing.
Three experts from the PWGs, Dr. Aitor Nogales, Dr. Amelie Desvars-Larrive, and Dr. Robyn Alders, provided their valuable feedback. Elsa Léger presented other major deliverables planned for 2026, including a PREZODE Atlas of Prevention Strategies and collaborations on One Health, such as the joint working group on Science-Policy dialogue with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
Start of the PREZODE data platform
The PREZODE chief data officer, Dr. Paula Cáceres, introduced the progress of the International Data Working Group (IDWG). A significant step forward was taken with the definition of an international PREZODE data platform concept and the launch of the process to build it. The process results of a coordinated, collective effort involving over 60 data experts. The group conducted a broad benchmarking and assessment of more than 100 existing platforms and carried out interviews to generate the terms of reference for a call for tender for the prototype. Three complementary modules will compose the platform. Dr. Christina Pettan-Brewer, Dr. Sarah Olson, and Dr. Paolo Tizzani (WOAH) explained the principles of each module:
- Module 1 – Project Catalogue: Designed as a living map of prevention in action, to enhance visibility of ongoing work, foster collaboration, and enable rapid mobilization in the event of a health crisis.
- Module 2 – Science-Society Liaison: A collaborative, multilingual interface that connects communities, scientists, and stakeholders to create co-designed solutions
- Module 3 – Data Integration and Analysis: To support early prevention and evidence-based decision-making through integrated multi-source data
Engaging the private sector
Dr. Lefrançois introduced this sequence by explaining that PREZODE will start a process to discuss the interactions between PREZODE and the private sector, currently represented by 19 members (Manufacturers, consulting and tech companies, and foundations). He emphasized the need to engage better with private actors. Mrs. Jessica Abbate, from Geomatys, presented a draft strategy and announced that PREZODE will conduct a confidential survey with private and public entities in the first semester of 2026.
Roundtable: PREZODE in action: Connecting Science, Society and Decision-Making
Dr. Soawapak Hinjoy moderated a panel discussionhighlighting concrete ways in which PREZODE partners operationalize One Health by strengthening the interface between science, society, and decision-makers. Featuring experiences from South-East Asia with perspectives from Africa and Latin America, the session identified shared success factors and opportunities for cross-regional cooperation.