AMR & Health Security

Background and rationale

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the most urgent and complex health challenges of our time. As life-saving drugs lose effectiveness, previously treatable infections risk becoming untreatable, crossing state borders, and threatening global health security. AMR can reverse the gains of modern medicine, including surgeries, cancer therapies, and intensive care. Without decisive action, AMR could result in millions of deaths annually and impose severe economic losses that strain health systems and national economies.

Excessive antibiotic use in agriculture also raises resistance to zoonotic diseases, indirectly impacting human health. These connections make AMR a cross-cutting issue hindering progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Because resistant pathogens move between humans, animals, and ecosystems, and with globalized trade in livestock and agriculture, AMR's inherently transboundary nature necessitates a One Health approach-driven international cooperation.

This event will explore why addressing AMR demands robust health diplomacy and a globally coordinated response grounded in the One Health approach. Strengthening hygiene and infection prevention, ensuring responsible antimicrobial use, improving surveillance systems, integrating into health emergency preparedness response and resilience, and accelerating investment in new diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines are essential pillars of an effective strategy. Bringing together diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, scientists, health practitioners, international organization and civil society this discussion aims to chart actionable pathways that mitigate AMR as a global health and security objective.

Questions to explore to further develop the rationale

• How would the Global Action Plan on AMR, Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against AMR, and the High-Level Political Declaration on AMR interact with the Pandemic Agreement, PABS negotiations, and the WHO Global Health and Peace Initiative?

• The cooperation between Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, and the ministries related to Environment Agriculture Animal Husbandry Commerce Trade and Industry

• Cooperation between security, humanitarian, and health assistance in conflict-affected situations to reduce AMR burden in Fragile and conflict-affected settings

• Examine how AMR crosses state borders threatening security, what it implies for the foreign policy of states, and what it implies for integrated policies, strategies, financing, and governance?

Objectives

• Explore how AMR undermines global health security. The impact of AMR on infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness, prevention and response efforts

• Contribute to the broader discussion on how AMR is impacted by the ongoing geopolitical tension, conflicts, and increased security/military spending that impact global health action.

• The role of health diplomacy in international cooperation sustained the political momentum and accountability on ARM commitment.

• Analize the dialogue of the impact of shifting global health financing on AMR prevention and mitigation efforts

• Explore how to effectively advocate for global efforts to curb AMR by considering it a health security challenge and engaging with youth work.

Key themes and discussion topics

• Health Security nexus and AMR

• Health Diplomacy in AMR

• Policy integration

• Financing AMR

• Collaborative AMR Governance

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Host or Publisher Health Diplomacy Alliance