Launch Event "The Quadripartite One Health Legislative Assessment Tool for Antimicrobial Resistance"

In the context of the global response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the development of a clear understanding of the complexities resulting from AMR from a One Health perspective and the potential legal solutions to address them is among the key strategies to address AMR holistically. The AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) project for the development of a One Health Legislative Assessment Tool for AMR (hereinafter “OHLAT”) was conceived for the development and piloting of a comprehensive One Health Tool that helps countries in the identification and assessment of the legal areas and elements that are important for AMR. This project and the development of the OHLAT has been led by the legal and AMR teams of the Quadripartite Organizations: FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH. The OHLAT has been piloted in three MPTF countries representing different continents and legal systems (Cambodia, Morocco, and Zimbabwe), and has also been deployed in the context of one MPTF national project in Peru. Furthermore, two multi-country workshops were organized to introduce the first version of the OHLAT: the first workshop took place in November 2022 and involved countries and stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean and Equatorial Guinea, and the second workshop took place in April 2023 in Senegal with participation from countries in Africa. The OHLAT is divided into seven chapters which pay attention to AMR institutional coordination, human health, food safety, animal health, pesticide management, plant health and the environment. The first chapter considers those multi-sectoral aspects that merit the development of cross-cutting and specific legislation for AMR (such as governance frameworks or integrated surveillance), while the other chapters detail the elements to be regulated by sectoral legislation to avoid legal fragmentation and duplication. Each chapter includes an explanation of the international reference standards and guidance relevant for the chapter and questions for the assessment. The Tool can be utilised by countries, either in its entirety, to assess the legal framework under a One Health approach, or by specific chapters, as required. It is expected that the Tool will play an important role in the fight against AMR worldwide and is therefore aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Virtual Launch Event for the presentation of the Tool - Duration 1:30h

1. Welcoming remarks  - 10 minutes

2. The One Health Legislative Assessment Tool for AMR  - 20 minutes

3. Implementation of OHLAT at the national and regional levels - 10 minutes

4. Experiences in the implementation of the Tool at the national level - 10 minutes

5. Q&A - 20 minutes

6. Closing remarks - 20 minutes

The project team will introduce the OHLAT. The background and objectives of the Tool will be explained along with its content and internal structure. The presentation will explain how the questions are formulated and the type of conclusions and recommendations that are derived from them. Finally, examples of its implementation in the pilot countries will be presented.