Saudi Arabia, represented by the Ministry of Health, is hosting the Fourth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in Jeddah from November 14-16. The conference serves as a major international platform bringing together more than 40 ministers from around the world across the health, environment and agriculture sectors, alongside heads of international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in a vital step to strengthen global efforts against the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance to public health.

Conference Goals and Significance

Saudi Arabia's hosting of this global conference extends its leading role in global health and supports Saudi Vision 2030's goal of strengthening health security domestically and internationally. The conference aims to:

  1. Coordinate global efforts to support the "One Health" approach by integrating human, animal and agricultural health efforts and environmental protection to combat antimicrobial resistance.
  2. Turn commitments into concrete action, by finding effective, sustainable solutions to boost readiness in the face of this health threat.
  3. Highlight priorities, such as surveillance, capacity building and innovation, and the importance of research and development in tackling this complex problem.

The conference aims to reach practical agreements that help improve antibiotic-use monitoring systems and reduce the risks of misuse, whether in humans or animals. Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global challenge given its impact on the effectiveness of drugs used to treat infections, a challenge driven by the excessive and improper use of antibiotics, which leads to the formation of resistant bacteria that become increasingly difficult to eliminate over time.

A Global Context for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance

Curbing antibiotic use across all sectors has become an urgent necessity, with many countries adopting strict laws banning their dispensing without a prescription, in addition to regulating their use on livestock farms. The conference serves as a comprehensive step to raise global awareness of the danger of this phenomenon and work toward integrated strategies bringing together all relevant sectors to reach sustainable solutions.

Through the exchange of expertise and coordination among countries and organizations, the conference helps drive innovation in research and the development of new treatments, and supports efforts to improve prevention and treatment methods in line with best health standards.

The Kingdom's Efforts to Support Global Health

Through this conference, Saudi Arabia seeks to demonstrate its commitment to developing strategies to address global health risks and strengthen its role as an active contributor to international health security, building on Vision 2030, which places the health sector as one of the pillars of national development. These efforts are part of the Kingdom's support for global health initiatives aimed at boosting international cooperation to combat antimicrobial resistance and protect gains in food security and economic growth.