High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), addresses the high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), convened by the President of the General Assembly on the theme of "Investing in the present and securing our future together: accelerating multisectoral global, regional and national actions to address antimicrobial resistance". During the meeting the "Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance" was approved. The declaration will be submitted to the General Assembly for adoption at a later date.

AMR presents a rising global threat to human, animal, and plant health, as well as food security, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Effective antimicrobial medicines are vital to human animal and plant health; however, inappropriate use leads to the rise of resistant microorganisms, thereby undermining our ability to control and treat infections in human beings, animals, and plants. The environment also plays a critical role in the development and spread of AMR. This presents particular challenges to developing countries, as, without immediate effective actions, the potential severe economic and developmental consequences of AMR will disproportionally impact low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).