UN political declaration sees the end, but lacks the means

By Catherine Feore

With antimicrobial resistance (AMR) deaths set to cause 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050 – equivalent to three people every minute – a political declaration at yesterday's high-level UN General Assembly is great in principle but falls short on substance.

As anticipated, global leaders did approve a political declaration on AMR at yesterday’s (26 September) high-level meeting at the UN General Assembly, but the 15-page document falls short on ambition and resources.

“Today’s declaration includes vital commitments that, if translated into action, will help to track AMR, slow it down, expand access to antimicrobial medicines like antibiotics and spur the development of new ones,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The main headlines include a target to reduce deaths due to AMR by 10% by 2030 and $100 million (€90 million) in catalytic funding to help ensure that at least 60% of countries have funded national action plans on AMR by 2030.

But €90 million seems inadequate given the task at hand. 

“Antimicrobial resistance knows no borders and is one of the top three health threats faced by the EU,” said Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides ahead of Thursday’s meeting. “Its threat cannot be tackled by one sector, one country or one continent in isolation.”

The European Commission believes that in Europe alone, the current estimated cost of AMR is €11.7 billion per year in health expenditure and lost productivity.

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Former US president Donald Trump will likely renew its controversial pitch of a possible swift peace deal with Russia when he meets Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday (27 September).

A new international coalition to seek a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict has gained traction on Thursday (26 September) despite Israel’s absence from the talks.

Parliamentary group leaders in Bulgaria have welcomed the EU’s decision to open accession talks with Albania and to block North Macedonia until it includes the Bulgarian minority in its constitution.

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EU countries, the bodies of various EU institutions, Big Tech, and telco companies of all sizes have been gearing up for a battle over the European Union’s future telecoms regulation.

Look out for…

• The European Commission organises an online workshop on Shaping the Future of Cultural Heritage
• The European Commission organises the InfoPoint conference: Promoting healthy diets through school meals interventions in Brussels, Belgium.
• The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) organises a conference on Green Deal Going Local: New pathways for making our communities sustainable, just and prosperous in Helsinki, Finland.
• The UN General Assembly continues in New York, US (24-30 September 2024)
• European Commissioner Iliana Ivanova participates in the Western Balkans Ministerial Meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia.
• European Commissioner Didier Reynders participates via videoconference in Korea's Data Protection Day.
• ECB President Christine Lagarde will speak to members of the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs.

[Edited by Martina Monti/Alice Taylor-Braçe]