Director-General urges stronger One Health action against AMR at Global Leaders Group meeting

At the 11th meeting of the Global Leaders Group (GLG) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), FAO Director-General QU Dongyu emphasized the urgent need to scale up action against AMR through a One Health approach. He underlined the importance of connecting human, animal, plant, and environmental health to build sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.

The GLG is an independent group of world leaders and experts established to accelerate political action on AMR, a growing global health threat affecting humans, animals, plants, and the environment.

Speaking at the virtual meeting, Qu welcomed the Group’s new members and praised the leadership of Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados and Co-Chair of the GLG, together with all the Ministers and other members of the Group, for their continued efforts to drive global AMR action.

"Natural and man-made disasters, conflict, climate extremes, economic crises, unaffordable diets, and pests and diseases continue to increase global food insecurity and malnutrition, placing immense pressure on our agrifood systems," Qu said.

"The One Health approach — recognizing the deep inter-dependence between human, animal, plant, and environmental health — must guide our work to ensure healthy and nutritious food for all."

The Director-General highlighted FAO’s major initiatives to fight AMR. He noted that the Organization’s 10-year initiative to Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation, launched a year ago, is already supporting farmers and producers to apply innovation and practical practices to reduce antimicrobial use. He also cited the FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System, currently supporting 52 countries to strengthen capacity and optimize data generation and collection.

Qu emphasized the significance of the new Member-driven FAO Resolution on AMR, discussed at the FAO Council in April and expected to be endorsed at the FAO Ministerial Conference in June.

However, he stressed that sustainable financing remains a key challenge. "We must rethink how to fund AMR action, such as through smarter public-private partnerships, greater domestic resource mobilization, and equitable contributions from all sectors," he said.

He also welcomed progress in establishing the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action, a new scientific body that will provide independent, science-based advice to support policymaking and strengthen the global response to AMR. He highlighted that science-based solutions were the only solutions that bring all the partners together.

Looking ahead, the Director-General announced that AMR and One Health will be central themes at several major FAO events in 2025, including the Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation, the Partnership and Youth Forum, and the World Food Forum. During the Forum, FAO will present its new Policy Framework on One Health in Agrifood Systems for Global Health and Food Security.

Concluding, Qu stressed that AMR threatens health, agrifood systems, ecosystems, and the future, and called for joint action to turn ambition into results for the Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – leaving no one behind.