Global Conference underlines Korea’s commitment with FAO in combatting antimicrobial resistance

Codex standards and the AMR Codex Texts (ACT) project were presented at the Second MFDS Global Conference on Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which took place in Seoul, Korea on 27-28 September 2022. The event was organized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), the Republic of Korea, with speakers from the FAO ACT project team.

Codex Secretary Tom Heilandt commended the Republic of Korea on their commitment to advance Codex Standards. Following their generous support of the Codex Task Force on AMR, the Government of Korea has now invested in the implementation of the texts themselves. “This is the way it should always be. First, develop standards, then provide the tools to apply them,” explained Heilandt.

This Global Conference on foodborne AMR is an annual forum where participants can learn, share ideas, and be empowered to address strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance in the food supply.

“Although there are many meetings on AMR and there are also great meetings for food safety, this is one of, if not the only meeting specifically focused on AMR and food safety,“ said Jeff LeJeune, FAO Food Safety Officer.

Seong Do Rhee, Director General of the Food and Consumer Safety Bureau in Korea opened the conference, and Yu-Kyoung Oh, Minister of Food and Drug Safety (pictured), delivered the welcome address.

“AMR is already threatening global public health and our future. For the long battle against AMR, a One Health approach, which is collaborative and multisectoral between human, animal and environmental health, is required,“ she said.

Following an overview of the challenges and potential solutions to combat foodborne AMR, the conference discussed specific topics concerning monitoring and surveillance, and economic aspects of AMR.  There was a special session to introduce the new FAO ACT project and its progress.

“This new project, supported by the Government of Korea, works to help six focus countries in Asia and South America with the implementation of Codex standards globally and locally, especially those related to the containment and reduction of foodborne AMR and monitoring and surveillance. The project will lead to better management of foodborne AMR," said LeJeune.

FAO technical experts also presented the FAO tools to support and monitor the implementation of AMR Codex standards, for example, the new data platform InFARM.

“This data platform will facilitate the process of data analysis and national reporting, and sustain the monitoring of the country’s progress in actions against AMR in food and agriculture,” said Alejandro Dorado Garcia, Animal Health Officer.

FAO Food Safety Officer Jorge Pinto Ferreira presented the Codex AMR Code of Practice, and a representative of Mongolia, one of the  countries covered by the project, shared lessons learned during implementation.

Over 450 people from more than 60 countries participated online, with around 50 participating in person. The conference was also broadcast on YouTube.

Learn more

Download compendium of Codex AMR texts

Conference, website: http://mfdsgcfa.kr/Program

The ACT project was also highlighted in the Korean media:

https://www.dailyvet.co.kr/news/prevention-hygiene/172843

http://www.foodnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=98834        

https://mdtoday.co.kr/news/view/1065572824411932

https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20220927044300530?input=1195m

http://www.medisobizanews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=100329

https://newsis.com/view/?id=NISX20220927_0002027713&cID=10434&pID=13200

Photo credit ©Lee Kun-woo