The Joint ACT/FF3 meeting took place in Siem Reap, Cambodia, from November 4–8. The “Action to Support Implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT)” project, funded by the Republic of Korea, and the FAO Fleming Fund 3 (FF3) global initiative, funded by the United Kingdom’s Fleming Fund, came together for their first joint meeting to share experiences and challenges, foster mutual learning, and plan collaboratively for the year ahead.

Cambodia was highlighted as a model country due to its active involvement in both the ACT and FF3 projects. Launched in 2021, the ACT project supports the implementation of Codex Alimentarius standards to mitigate foodborne AMR, while the FF3 project, initiated in 2022, focuses on gathering critical AMR data across regions.

The event gathered 65 participants representing FAO projects across Asian and Latin American countries, including Bangladesh, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Cambodia, Colombia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. FAO staff from headquarters in Rome and the regional office in Bangkok also attended. Stakeholders included feed regulators, development partners, and government representatives, along with delegates from the Republic of Korea.

Rebekah Bell, FAO Representative in Cambodia, welcomed the participants. Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General, addressed the group via video call, congratulating them and emphasizing the importance of collaboration as underscored during the UN General Assembly High-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in 2024. Codex Secretary Sarah Cahill also addressed the meeting via video, noting that Codex AMR texts are the basis not only for the ACT project but also serve as key references for managing AMR in the food and agriculture sectors, as outlined in the UNGA High-level political declaration on AMR.

The five-day meeting dedicated the first and last days to experience-sharing and planning, respectively. “AMR is a global threat, with particularly severe impacts in low- and middle-income countries. Our support aims to catalyze activities and empower countries to take sustainable leadership,” said Myoengsin Choi and Emmanuel Kabali, project coordinators for the ACT and FF3 initiatives, respectively.

Chi-Yeun Cheung, Senior Scientific Officer from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Republic of Korea, highlighted that the meeting was invaluable for understanding both achievements and challenges faced by participating countries. She expressed optimism about the strong foundation established by the ACT project. Jorge Pinto Ferreira, Lead Technical Officer of the ACT project, concluded, “This joint meeting has enabled us to plan collaboratively, creating synergies between the two projects to maximize impact and prevent duplication. We look forward to continuing this collaboration.”

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