We, the Africa Regional Directors of

• Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)
• African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Regional Office for Africa
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Regional Office for Near East and
  North Africa
• World Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for Africa
• World Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for Eastern Mediterranean
• World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Regional Office for Africa

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Regional Office for Africa have come together on the occasion of the 2nd Africa Continental World Antimicrobial Awareness Week to engender continental solidarity and strengthen commitment towards mitigating antimicrobial risks.

NOTING the importance of antimicrobials as front line medication in combating a host of diseases in humans, animals and crops alike, as well as supporting and enhancing agricultural and environmental practices to reduce risk of disease transfer;

RECOGNISING the silent public health threat that AMR poses in all countries in Africa;

RECOGNISING the socio-economic impact of AMR as a result of abuse and misuse of antimicrobials in the face of limited novel antimicrobials;

RECALLING the international commitments made during the G7 and G20 fora in setting examples for collective action and solidarity to addressing AMR globally;

RECALLING existing global and continental commitments including WHO’s Global Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance, Africa Common Position on Antimicrobial Resistance, Africa Union Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Control, OIE strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance and the prudent use of antimicrobials, and FAO’s Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance.

CONCERNED by uncontrolled antimicrobial use across the African Continent, including the use of falsified and substandard medicines in the context of inadequate oversight on production, procurement, quality, surveillance, and usage;

COGNIZANT of the multiple public health challenges confronted by the health systems in Africa and inadequate capacity to effectively address them;

CONCERNED with the increase in drug-resistant infections arising as a result of misuse of key antimicrobials previously proven to be effective;

ACKNOWLEDGING that the lack of awareness on AMR continues to hamper change in public health, animal health, agriculture, and environment practices as well as in regulation and oversight;

EMPHASIZING the critical nature of the ‘One Health’ approach to tackle AMR from all facets including human and veterinary sciences, agriculture, environment, aquaculture, and other perspectives;

MINDFUL of the urgency to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and improve food and nutrition security, and livelihoods in Africa’s largely farming-based economies through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) and made even more challenging in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic,

We, the Africa Regional Directors, COMMIT TO :

1. Fostering the One Health multisectoral collaboration as a means of leveraging our core
   competencies to effectively combat AMR,
2. Upholding the global and continental commitments on AMR and continuing to support African
   Member States in developing, reviewing, updating, and implementing national AMR action plans in
   line with the One Health approach,
3. Strengthening advocacy across all levels for the more prudent use of antimicrobials by increasing
   awareness, understanding, and encouraging behaviour change through evidence,
4. Supporting the integration of AMR actions in routine infection prevention and control (IPC)
   measures, as well as biosecurity and good hygiene practices,
5. Supporting the compliance and implementation of international standards for the management of
   human, animal, environmental and industrial waste
6. Supporting to the greatest extent possible, public-private sector collaborations that support effective
   and efficient use of antimicrobials and addressing antimicrobial use in animal and aquaculture feeds
7. Engaging with Civil Society Organisations, media, private sector, and general public to improve AMR awareness

The Participants’ signatures in the spaces below record their joint acceptance of this communique as of 18
November 2020.

Africa Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
John N. Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control
and Prevention

African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources
Ahmed El-Sawalhy, Director of African Union – InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Regional Office for Africa
Abebe Haile-Gabriel FAO Assistant Director-General / Regional Representative for Africa

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United, Nations - Regional Office for Near East and North Africa
Serge Raymond Nakouzi, FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Near East and North Africa

World Health Organization - Regional Office for Africa
Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa

World Health Organization - Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranian
Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean

World Organisation of Animal Health - Regional Office for Africa Karim Tounkara

OIE Regional Representative for Africa, United Nations Environment Programme - Regional office for Africa
Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo UNEP Regional Director for Africa