11th Meeting of the Global Leaders Group (GLG) on Antimicrobial Resistance Opening Remarks

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to join this 11th meeting of the Global Leaders Group (GLG) on Antimicrobial Resistance, and in particular I welcome the new members of the Group.

Above all, I wish to commend Prime Minister Mia Mottley, together with all the Ministers and other members of this Group, for the continued leadership and guidance in driving global efforts to combat AMR.

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.

Sustainable and resilient agrifood systems depend on healthy ecosystems.

That is why 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 Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting on AMR adopted at UNGA79 last year gives us a clear mandate. Now, we must match that ambition with action.

At FAO, we are stepping up our action.

The new Member-driven FAO Resolution on AMR, discussed by the FAO Council in April and to be submitted to the FAO Ministerial Conference in June for endorsement, reflects our collective and personal commitment.

FAO’s 10-year initiative to Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation, launched a year ago, already supports farmers and producers to apply innovation and practical practices to reduce antimicrobial use across the agrifood spectrum, in line with the Political Declaration.

The FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System is currently supporting 52 countries to strengthen capacity and optimize data generation and collection.

But to succeed, we need sustainable financing.

This remains one of our greatest challenges.

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.

The AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund is a good instrument to accelerate the country-level implementation of AMR National Action Plans.

Strengthening governance and accountability helps support existing structures like the GLG and the AMR Partnership Platform.

Science must be our compass, which is why we welcome progress on establishing the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action.

To celebrate FAO’s 80th anniversary, we will convene a series of high-level events, including the Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation and the Partnership and Youth Forum under the theme “One Health in Agrifood Systems is Everyone’s Health.”

And at the FAO annual World Food Forum in October this year, we will present FAO’s new Policy Framework on One Health in Agrifood Systems for Global Health and Food Security.

Let me end with a clear message: AMR threatens our health, our agrifood systems, our ecosystems, and our future.

Let us act together to keep AMR high on the global agenda and translate ambition into results for the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – leaving no one behind.

Action leads to change

Science based solutions are the only solutions that bring all the partners together.

Thank you to all for your commitment.