News and Opinions  –  2026

Closing the gap: Highlights from the ReAct side event at the 79th WHA on AMR governance and financing

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2026-06-24

On the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly, ReAct with support from the Health Diplomacy Alliance and Global Challenges Foundation convened a roundtable at the Health Diplomacy House to tackle some of the most pressing hurdles in the global response to antibiotic resistance. Titled "Closing the Gap: Governance and Financing for an Effective Global Response to Antibiotic Resistance," the session aimed to foster a solution-oriented dialogue and gathered around 20 invited experts representing the civil society, member states, academic institutions, and international organizations.

There was a small and engaged group of experts at the meeting along the sidelines of World Health Assembly in May. Photo: ReAct Europe.

A persistent implementation gap

The meeting was set against a sobering backdrop: while the 2024 UN Political Declaration on AMR set ambitious global targets, including a 10% reduction in AMR-attributable mortality, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Although over 90% of countries have adopted National Action Plans (NAPs), only 11% have secured specific financial provisions within their national budgets. This challenge is compounded by a deteriorating global health financing landscape, marked by a projected 23% cut in Official Development Assistance (ODA) while many African nations now spend more on debt servicing than on healthcare.

Setting the stage: governance and financing deficits

To ground the discussion, ReAct presented recent analyses identifying critical barriers. On the governance front, the global architecture remains fragmented with unclear mandates and weak accountability mechanisms. ReAct presented highlights from its recently launched policy brief “From Dialogue to Progress” on the need to evolve and formalize the Biennial AMR Ministerial Meetings.

In terms of financing, the session explored the misalignment between donor priorities and country needs, alongside the difficulty countries face in accessing fragmented international funding streams, as outlined in ReAct’s 2025 policy brief “Unlocking AMR financing”. ReAct also highlighted the need for innovative strategies and approaches to domestic financing amid the global funding crisis.

Key discussion highlights:

The discussion was structured around the two pillars: reflecting on governance limitations and opportunities and optimizing domestic and international resource mobilization. The dialogue moved beyond high-level theory into practical, often systemic, concerns:

  • Breaking the silos: The global architecture is largely in place but suffers from a “trickle-down” failure. Participants emphasized that AMR is not a “single disease” but a systemic threat. They highlighted the need to integrate AMR into broader health agendas, and invest in interventions such as WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) and cancer care. Participants also stressed that global commitments only deliver if they reach regional, national and local implementation.
  • Closing the accountability gap: A recurring theme was the “gap between policy and implementation” at national, regional and global levels. Even in the EU for instance, despite existing frameworks, accountability in sectors like agriculture remains weak. Participants called for the ministerial platform to evolve into a mechanism for structured progress reviews and objective transparency, not just a forum for declarations.
  • The role of civil society: The role of civil society in discussions about governance was highlighted and described as essential for bringing transparency and should be meaningfully enabled to monitor commitments and hold governments to account.
  • The Role of Evidence: There was a strong call to operationalize the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against AMR (IPEA) without further delay, to ensure that political decisions are driven by robust data rather than fragmented priorities.
  • Regional leadership: Experts underscored the importance of regional tiering in governance to deepen ownership in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), ensuring that regional priority-setting feeds directly into global agendas.
  • Innovative financing solutions: The “Debt-to-Health” instrument was discussed as a potentially viable financing tool for AMR, allowing countries to redirect debt re-payments toward national AMR strategies. Experts suggested that incorporating these swaps into the AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) could be an option to explore.
  • The AMR MPTF value proposition: While the MPTF has a clear USD 100 million catalytic target agreed at the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting 2024.. However, participants stressed that for the MPTF to unlock funding, it must first articulate a “unique value proposition” and be backed by costed NAPs and compelling investment narratives.
  • Sustainable vs. quick returns: Concerns were raised that many funders and public-private partnerships seek “quick returns,” whereas the most effective AMR interventions, such as health system strengthening and infection prevention, require long-term, sustained commitment.
  • National responsibility and leveraging community engagement: There was a call for countries to view AMR action as a key development priority, and to leveraging community engagement with targeted seed funding to support implementation. To avoid competition for scarce resources stakeholders were encouraged to join forces and increasingly come together in joint resource mobilization.

The roundtable concluded with a shared understanding that governance and financing are inextricably linked. To move forward, the global community must reframe AMR as a systemic development challenge, requiring sustained, coordinated investment and accountability structures that can actually turn commitments into results.

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