– As delivered –
Remarks by H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly
29 April 2021
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats facing our planet. It is already affecting us today and its potential is devastating.
Speaking in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I do not say this lightly. We are all now acutely aware of the impacts of a health crisis. COVID-19 has caused the biggest global emergency in the United Nations’ history. We ignore AMR at our peril.
The overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals and agriculture has driven up resistance in the microorganisms these medicines are meant to fight. AMR threatens to make the medicines we rely on to keep us, our animals and plants healthy, redundant. It threatens to take us backwards and undo many medical advancements.
We are already running out of effective treatments for several common infections. Currently an estimated 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases. And with few replacement products in the pipeline, we are moving towards a post-antibiotic era in which common infectious diseases will once again cause mortality. None of the 43 antibiotics currently in development are enough to combat the increasing emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
If current trends continue, sophisticated interventions like organ transplantation, joint replacements, cancer chemotherapy and care of pre-term infants, that all require antimicrobials, will become too dangerous and will no longer be possible. If no action is taken drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050 and damage to the economy will be as catastrophic as the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. By 2030, AMR could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty.
Despite its devastating consequences, there is a startling lack of awareness about this silent pandemic. AMR challenges the effective delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Lack of regulation, the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animals, over-the-counter and internet sales have sparked a boom in counterfeit or poor-quality antimicrobials.
As the largest consumer of antimicrobials, it is critical that stakeholders involved in food production, food processing, animal husbandry, and agriculture are included in discussions on AMR.
The launch of the new One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance in November 2020 is to be commended. I urge all Member States to engage meaningfully with the Global Leaders Group and FAO/OIE/WHO Tripartite Collaboration on AMR to strengthen global governance and coordination in fighting against AMR. Global leaders can help to catalyse global attention and action to preserve antimicrobial medicines and tackle AMR.
As we have seen with the COVID-19 pandemic, when there is political will, we can achieve remarkable results. I encourage Member States to develop and implement national action plans on AMR, strengthen regulation of antimicrobials, improve knowledge and awareness, and promote best practices — as well as foster innovative approaches, using alternatives to antimicrobials and new technologies, for diagnosis and vaccines.
Excellencies, dear colleagues,
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of AMR across the globe, but it has also demonstrated what we are capable of. In just a year we have developed multiple vaccines
that are being rolled out globally. We have supported increased humanitarian needs. It is clear to me that, when we work together, we can effectively address global challenges.
A concerted global approach led by heads of state and global institutions, with coordinated action by the health and agricultural sectors, in partnership with the food industry, campaign groups, and community organizations, in context of One Health and 2030 Agenda, is the only way to tackle AMR.
I welcome the ambitious and action-orientated nature of the ‘Call to Action’, which has now been endorsed by over 100 countries, demonstrating the wide support across the membership.
As we have seen with the COVID-19 pandemic, when there is political will, we can achieve remarkable results. I encourage Member States to develop and implement national action plans on AMR, strengthen regulation of antimicrobials, improve knowledge and awareness, and promote best practices — as well as foster innovative approaches, using alternatives to antimicrobials and new technologies, for diagnosis and vaccines.
Effective communication, education and training is critical to raise awareness and encourage expert-driven behavioural change. Multi-stakeholder partnerships are key. The private sector, doctors, medical workers, farmers, the food industry, and regulators, as well as consumers, are critical partners in this battle. I call on the pharmaceutical industry, public, private and philanthropic donors and other funders to increase investment and innovation into new quality-assured antimicrobials (in particular antibiotics) and promote and support equitable and affordable access to existing and new quality-assured antimicrobials.
As with so many crises, it is the vulnerable who stand to be most affected by AMR. Stronger systems are needed to monitor drug-resistant infections and the volume of antimicrobials used in humans, animals, and crops. We need to understand the issue, to solve it. A coordinated approach to increase investment across the One Health spectrum in implementation of national action plans is urgently needed.
Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
Before concluding, it would be remiss of me not to discuss Universal Health Coverage. Expanding UHC will help to ensure the core components of a health system are in place, and if adequately resourced, this can help expand the coverage of measures to prevent and manage infection, including the appropriate use of antibiotics.
I look forward to hearing from you at this interactive dialogue today. I encourage you to use this opportunity to strengthen political commitment, take stock of progress, and demonstrate actions to build back better from COVID-19. We will hear from you, the Member States and a wide range of partners, as you share perspectives and highlight solutions on challenges and opportunities to tackling AMR as part of future pandemic preparedness through a One Health approach while supporting the delivery of the SDGs.
Excellencies, dear friends, dear colleagues,
Let me leave you with one thought. Next time you consider using antimicrobials, or are offered a meal treated by antimicrobials, consider the impact your decision will have on your grandchildren’s access to these lifesaving drugs. We can no longer take them for granted. We have to act now to safeguard the progress we have already achieved.
Thank you.
