- By: Shyam Bishen – World Economic Forum
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing global public health and development threats of our time. When infection-causing microbes such as bacteria develop resistance to the medicines we use to treat them, it affects every community and every country across all regions and income levels. Its drivers and consequences are exacerbated by poverty and inequality, making low- and middle-income countries the most vulnerable.
AMR jeopardizes many of the advancements of modern healthcare. It not only makes infections harder to treat, it increases the risks associated with many medical procedures, including surgery and cancer care. Severe infections are the second-leading cause of death in cancer patients, and effective antibiotics are crucial in supporting patients undergoing cancer therapy.
AMR also undermines the global agri-food system, leading to higher disease prevalence and mortality rates among animals, which in turn decreases productivity and increases costs for farmers.
Climate change and geopolitical events exacerbate AMR.Every 1°C increase in air temperature is associated with a 14% increase in drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections.During the Great March of Return demonstrations on the Gaza/Israel border in 2018 and 2019, there was a 300% increase in resistance to certain antibiotics among injured combatants.
A lack of appropriate antimicrobial treatments is a significant driver of AMR. This is because doctors and vets are then forced to use suboptimal back-up options or treatment courses are cut short, leaving the remaining bacteria with opportunities to develop resistance.
Like carbon or clean water, effective antibiotics are a critical infrastructure that must be protected for today’s citizens and for future generations. Modern medicine as we know it is not possible without access to functioning antibiotics.
Global collaboration on AMR
A “One Health” approach to AMR is crucial: collaborative, multisectoral and transdisciplinary. Work must happen at the local, regional, national and global levels to achieve optimal outcomes and to recognize the interconnection between people, animals, plants and their shared environment.
As the centenary of Sir Alexandar Fleming’s discovery of penicillin approaches, and ahead of the next UN High-Level meeting on AMR in 2029, significant progress is needed to reduce the global deaths associated with AMR. This will require political leadership and global collaboration that goes beyond human health.
During 2024, there were several global declarations and commitments to tackle AMR. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) held the second High-Level Meeting on AMR in September, G7 and G20 Leaders also committed to action and assured that they would prioritize tackling AMR. At the 4th Ministerial Meeting on AMR held in November 2024, further commitments were made by ministers from across the globe.
“The threat is right here, right now.”
—Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization, at the 4th Ministerial Meeting on AMR, November 2024—
It is now time to translate these commitments into action to strengthen the response to the AMR crisis.
Following the UNGA High Level meeting on AMR and the adoption of the political declaration, the Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance developed the Davos Compact on AMR. The Compact, which has received input from the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR, comprising four major agencies – the World Health Organization, the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations Environment Programme – was launched on 23 January 2025 at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos.
The compact outlines the key areas of need for private sector engagement and collaboration in response to the UN political Declaration on AMR. In doing so, it highlights the key areas of focus and impact for the Forum’s future work in tackling AMR with the Unified Coalition for the AMR Response (UCARES).
“Our goal is simple: to unlock sustainable and synergistic financing from both public and private sources to reduce the global deaths associated with AMR, saving more than 100 million lives by 2050.” —Davos Compact on AMR 2025
Under the aegis of UCARES, governments and philanthropic organizations will work together to create the right conditions for encouraging private sector investments to address AMR. And businesses around the world will allocate significant financial resources to fund and deploy innovative solutions against drug-resistant infections.
The key areas of focus for UCARES are:
- Supporting innovation and improving access to new and existing antimicrobials, diagnostics and vaccines
- Building awareness and advocacy of AMR among policy-makers and the public
- Creating sustainable food and agricultural systems
- Promoting multisectoral engagement and funding
Reducing the threat of AMR
AMR is a growing global threat. It could take 15 to 20 years to develop sufficient new antimicrobials to protect us. We need to act now.
Collaborative public and private sector efforts to address AMR will ensure sustainable financing for a healthier, safer and more resilient world for future generations. Together, the members of UCARES are committed to applying a One Health, multi-sectorial approach to this global crisis. This will help to mobilize the financial resources required to achieve the global goal of reducing the deaths associated with AMR, saving more than 100 million lives by 2050.