The 4th Global Conference on Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance (GCFA) will take place September 24–25 2024, in Seoul, the Republic of Korea. Hosted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) since 2021, the conference aims to raise awareness about foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to call for concrete action.

The FAO-implemented and Republic of Korea-funded Action to support implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT) project, will be presented at this year's conference, which is a demonstration of Korea's efforts to combat foodborne AMR.

AMR continues to pose a growing global threat. In September 2024, a High-Level Meeting on AMR  will convene during the 79th session of UN General Assembly in New York, which will be the second such meeting since 2016.The high level meeting aims to promote strong international collaboration on AMR, and will see the participation of the four the Quadripartite organizations (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)) as well as various stakeholders from across different sectors, to encourage stronger collaboration.

The 4th GCFA is a unique global event dedicated exclusively to foodborne AMR. It has successfully raised awareness of the issue while encouraging the implementation of Codex guidelines on AMR. "Codex has developed three key documents on AMR, but some countries, particularly low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), face challenges in implementation due to a lack of knowledge and resources," said Dr Myoengsin Choi, the coordinator of the ACT project at FAO. "The ACT project is designed to support the implementation of these Codex standards, and it serves as a strong example of how to address these challenges. I am pleased to share our achievements, particularly in the Plurinational State of Bolivia"

“Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an international health threat that is difficult for any single country to solve on its own, which is why the global community must work together to address it. Accordingly, Korea is supporting efforts through FAO to minimize global AMR by reducing the use of antimicrobials in food production systems, ensuring food safety, and contributing to the health and well-being of people worldwide,” commented Daewon Choi, Director-General of the Food and Consumer Safety Bureau, at the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).

In addition to the ACT project presentation, Mr Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General of FAO, will deliver a congratulatory speech, and FAO’s broader work on AMR will also be highlighted.

Pre-registration for the conference is available both in person and online participation. The 4th GCFA will be streamed live on YouTube.

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The 4th GCFA
The ACT project