Media Advisory
United Nations General Assembly
High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance
21 September 2016, UN Headquarters in New York
What: United Nations High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance
Who: (Opening Session)
H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly
H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General
H.E. Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization
H.E. Mr. José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization
H.E. Dr. Monique Eloit, Director-General of the World Organization for Animal Health
When: Wednesday, 21 September 2016, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST.
Dr. Margaret Chan, Mr. José Graziano da Silva and Dr. Monique Eloit will speak to journalists at approximately 9:30 a.m. EST at the General Assembly media stakeout (3rd Floor).
Where: UN Headquarters, New York: Trusteeship Council Chamber (Opening Session, Plenary Segment and Closing Session) and simultaneously Economic and Social Council Chamber (Panel
1 and 2), or live through webtv.un.org
Accredited journalists can follow the sessions from the Media Centre (UN Headquarters Conference
Room 1) or ask for a ticket at the Media Liaison Desk (UN Headquarters 3rd floor of the Conference Building) in order to be escorted to the meeting rooms. Tickets are limited and distributed in a first-come, first-served basis. Photo/video do not need a ticket and will be escorted to the media booths.
Hashtag: #antimicrobialresistance
Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi.
AMR is an increasingly serious threat to global public health that requires action across all government sectors and society – globally, an estimated 480,000 people develop multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis each year, and drug resistance is starting to complicate the fight against HIV and malaria, as well. Left unchecked, AMR is predicted to have significant social, health, and economic repercussions that will seriously undermine the development of countries.
The President of the UN General Assembly will convene the High-level Meeting to address this growing threat, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Member States, non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions will also participate.
The primary objective of the meeting is to summon and maintain the strong national, regional and international political commitment needed to address AMR comprehensively, as well as to improve awareness of this global health concern.
This will be only the fourth such General Assembly high-level event in the history of the UN to focus on a health issue (the others were HIV, noncommunicable diseases, and Ebola).
More details, including the outcome document upon its adoption, is available here
Available for Interviews
Ms. Daniela Battaglia, Livestock Development Officer at the Animal Production and Health
Division, FAO (English, French, Italian, Portuguese)
Ms. Catherine Bertrand Ferrandis, Head of Communications, OIE (French, English)
Dr. Monique Eloit, Director General, OIE (French-English)
Ms. Elisabeth Erlacher-Vindel, Head of the Science and New Technologies Department, OIE (French, English, German)
Dr. Keiji Fukuda, Special Representative for Antimicrobial Resistance and Assistant Director-General, WHO (English)
Mr. Juan Lubroth, Chief Veterinary Officer, FAO (English, Spanish)
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Press Contacts:
In NYC:
Ms. Catherine Bertrand-Ferrandis, OIE, T: +33 6 16 46 28 90, E: c.bertrand-ferrandis@oie.int
Ms. Sudeshna Chowdhury, FAO, T: +1 917 963 6036, E: sudeshna.chowdhury@fao.org
Ms. Devi Palanivelu, UN Department of Public Information, T: +212-963-1104, E: palanivelu@un.org
Mr. Tomas Pico, Office of the President of the General Assembly, T: +646-763-3709, E: picot@un.org
Ms. Melanie Prudhomme, UN Department of Public Information, T: +917-367-3541, E: prudhommem@un.org
Ms. Sarah Russell, WHO, M: +41 79 598 68 23, E: russellsa@who.int
In Geneva/Rome:
Ms, Olivia Lawe Davies, WHO, T: +41 22 791 12 09, M: +41 79 475 55 45, E: lawedavieso@who.int
Mr. Christopher Emsden, FAO, T: +39 06 57 05 32 91, E: christopher.emsden@fao.org