Minister Osman Saleh’s Statement at the High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance

Statement by H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Mohammed, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea
During the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance
26 September 2024

UN Headquarters, New York

Mr. President, Excellencies and distinguished delegates,

Allow me to express our sincere gratitude to the President of the General Assembly for convening this important meeting. As one of the leading causes of death globally, with devastating impacts extending beyond human health, and threatening animal welfare, security, the environment, and economic development, Antimicrobial Resistance presents a persistent threat that demands urgent and coordinated action.

Mr. President,

Eritrea has made notable progress in the health sector by prioritizing a primary healthcare system that is free and equitable, designed to sustainably serve the entire population. Our healthcare policy is guided by core principles of equity, comprehensive services, community involvement, partnership, and strong political commitment. As a result, Eritrea remains on track in achieving numerous global health goals.

Our Antimicrobial Resistance strategy is similarly anchored in a multi-sectoral “One Health” approach, involving all key stakeholders. To this end, a dedicated secretariat was established to oversee the 2021-2025 National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, encompassing the health, agriculture, marine, and environmental sectors, with bi-annual progress reviews by the National Health Security Committee.

Mr. President,

My delegation would like to emphasize three key points on this critical agenda:
1. Eritrea welcomes this tirelessly negotiated declaration before us. However, turning this political commitment into concrete action requires measurable and sustained efforts. We need to strengthen water, sanitation and Hygiene systems to prevent disease and minimize antimicrobial demand.

At the same time, we need to address the supply side by confronting the market driven practices that are prioritizing efficiency, profit, and scale over sustainability and health outcomes. Collective efforts are required to ensure sustainable production and curbing of antibiotic misuse in food production, in order to transition towards a less antimicrobial-reliant agro-food system. These efforts will have long-term success in combating Antimicrobial Resistance.

2. Lacking adequate infrastructure to combat infectious diseases, developing countries are disproportionately impacted by Antimicrobial Resistance. A rethinking of the global economic system, therefore, remains imperative to establish an equitable framework that tackles the root causes and fosters sustainable development for all nations.

3. And finally, we need to establish the necessary institutional and structural conditions for a North-South and South-South cooperation—facilitating technology transfer, fostering research for local drug production, and providing comprehensive training to healthcare professionals. Additionally, barriers such as Unilateral Coercive Measures (UCMs), which hinder countries’ ability to adequately respond to global health threats, must be removed immediately. These collective efforts will foster greater international collaboration and strengthen national capacities to address the multifaceted challenges of Antimicrobial Resistance.
Mr. President, Eritrea remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborating with all countries in addressing this global challenge.

Thank you, Mr. President.