European Union Statement 

WHO

77^th World Health Assembly (27 May - 1 June 2024)

Item 11.8 – Antimicrobial resistance: accelerating national and global responses

Geneva, 29 May 2024

Chair,

Director General,

Excellencies,

Colleagues,

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the EU and its 27 Member States.

The candidate countries Türkiye, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina[*] and Georgia, the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Armenia align themselves with this statement.

We welcome the report by the Director General and the inclusion of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on the agenda. We thank Thailand for their leadership on the resolution to strengthen and accelerate the national, regional and global response to the continuously increasing levels of AMR we are facing.

Knowing no borders, this health threat affects countries in all regions. Its drivers include lack of regulation and guidance of use of antimicrobials, climate change and humanitarian crises among others. These drivers and their consequences are exacerbated by inequality, meaning low- and middle-income countries and persons in vulnerable situations are the most severely affected.

Although significant progress has been made in designing and improving policies and strategies addressing AMR, this is not enough. By 2050, 10 million people could die, every year, because of AMR.

Prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials and high standards of surveillance, prevention and control measures in communities, hospitals and long-term care facilities are essential in reducing the risk of emergence, re-emergence and spreading of AMR. We appreciate WHOs evidence-based guidance in this regard. Tackling AMR requires the availability of and access to safe and effective antimicrobials, vaccines and diagnostics.

We welcome the new strategic and operational priorities and we encourage support for Research and Development and Access to new and existing antimicrobials and other medical technologies through collaboration with academic institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector.

Yet, we highly encourage the Secretariat to develop more concrete evidence-based and cost-effective policy measures to effectively ensure prudent use of antimicrobials, especially antibiotics and prevent infections. In our view, the current repertoire of measures focusses too much on persuasive and in general passive dissemination implementation strategies such as information campaigns and guidelines. These are insufficient to achieve the ambitious targets our populations need while more emphasis on structural and prescriptive measures will be paramount.

The negotiations of an AMR High Level Political Declaration are about to start in New York and must be accompanied by a strong political commitment. We call for defining concrete objectives, setting measurable targets, and integrating the One Health approach at all levels, especially when implementing national action plans. A multisectoral, whole of government and whole of society approach to AMR is essential. In addition, we insist on the adequate and sustainable funding of these plans, with an increase of domestic resource mobilisation for counteracting AMR in accordance with UN Member States development status. We  strongly advocate for WHO to continue strong collaboration alongside the other Quadripartite organisations to expand effectively the work on AMR to all sectors.

Thank you chair.

[*] North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.