Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
Opening Segment of the Multi-stakeholder Hearing of the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance

Wednesday, 15 May 2024, 10.00 AM, Trusteeship Council Chamber,
[As Delivered]

Ms. Amina J Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization,

Ms. Vanessa Carter, Antimicrobial Resistance Survivor and Executive Director of the AMR Narrative,

Excellencies,

Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all at this multistakeholder hearing on Anti-microbial Resistance in the presence of our hard-working Deputy Secretary-General, whose extraordinary preoccupation with the spectrum of issues related to sustainable development has risen to such an extent as perhaps to be considered a calling.

I extend my gratitude to the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the World Organization for Animal Health for their support in organizing this important event.

As we gather here today, a silent pandemic – antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – accounts for nearly five million deaths annually.

Left unaddressed, it is estimated that AMR could cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050. Moreover – if left unchecked – AMR will render the medicines we depend on to keep us safe and healthy practically ineffective. Despite the magnitude of its global impact – as a pressing health challenge – it is concerning that currently AMR does not command either sufficient attention or awareness.

It is therefore a public interest necessity that we change this immediately – because tackling AMR is vital to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially within the frameworks of universal health coverage, resilient health, environmental sustainability, and sustainable agri-food systems.

Indeed, the implications of AMR cuts across multiple SDGs. Our success in addressing AMR will, therefore, favourably influence our progress on all the SDGs – given their interlinkages.

The upcoming high-level meeting on AMR – which is scheduled for 26 September 2024 – offers a timely opportunity to mobilize much-needed political will, and to bolster international cooperation, in this looming threat to the public health and thus to the stability of society.

I should like to commend the co-facilitators, Their Excellencies François Jackman and Vanessa Frazier – the Permanent Representatives of Barbados and the Republic of Malta, respectively – for their notably dedication and leadership on the negotiations on the political declaration on AMR, to be adopted in September.

Excellencies, 

It cannot be overemphasized that AMR disproportionately affects developing countries.

While these countries bear the brunt of its impacts, they also lack the financial resources and capacity to overcome them without support.

What is needed to remedy this, is a robust show of solidarity on the part of the international community, through strengthened international cooperation, enhance capacity-building initiatives – and more importantly, demonstration of  a strong commitment to the facilitation of technology transfer.

Such a posture of solidarity and  goodwill will support developing nations in their AMR response – strengthening sustainable health and agri-food systems, improving surveillance and monitoring, and enhancing environmental interventions, such as waste and wastewater management, while at the same time, promoting responsible antimicrobial use.

As a strategic matter, we must also address the disproportionate burden of AMR on the most disproportionately affected, especially women and girls.

Not only do they often bear primary caregiving responsibilities – many also work in the agricultural sector, with high exposure to pesticides and antimicrobials; and yet typically have less access to healthcare.

Policymakers must therefore recognize and indeed address gendered differences in experiences and health outcomes.

Accordingly, they should strive for inclusivity in decision-making and amplify efforts to provide equitable access to healthcare services, education, and economic opportunities for women.

Dear Friends,

In closing – as preparations for the high-level meeting in September continue – we must remember that strong political will and leadership at the highest levels are indispensable in addressing the multidimensional challenges posed by AMR.

I urge Member States to integrate AMR considerations into their national SDG strategies and monitoring frameworks – also as a priority in national agendas, broader health, agri-food, environmental, and developmental policies, and actions.

Effectively addressing this issue demands the collective efforts of a diversity of stakeholders across sectors, many of whom are represented here today – involving civil society organizations, philanthropic foundations, academia, medical associations, the private sector; and also drawing from perspectives of women, youth, and indigenous communities.

Our overarching goals must be to accelerate multisectoral actions at the global, regional, and national levels – building upon the commitments set forth in the 2016 Political Declaration on AMR.

I am optimistic that today’s discussions will delve into key policy areas and yield productive outcomes – guiding us to invest more effectively in our present while securing our future.

In accordance with the relevant mandate, I will share a summary of this hearing with all Member States and observers of the General Assembly, prior to the high-level meeting.

I trust that the summary will serve as a valuable resource for the upcoming high-level meeting discussions on the political declaration – ensuring actionable commitments in September, that will help us control antimicrobial resistance.

I thank you.