 Partners and colleagues, the coronavirus and the COVID-19 have presented serious health and livelihood challenges to people around the world, and particularly in this Asia and the Pacific region. The discovery of the coronavirus late last year and its rapid spread globally is a reminder of how closely interlinked our human, animal, and the environmental, food and agriculture sectors really are. The coronavirus arrived at a time when the food and agriculture sectors were already fighting battles on numerous fronts in this region, from desert locusts in the West Asia to the devastating spread of African swine fever, and our continuing struggle with antimicrobial resistance or AMR. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has further challenged our campaign to responsibly use antimicrobial. While no direct link has been established between AMR and the current treatments for COVID-19, the increased use of antimicrobial in humans de-emphasizes the importance of effective responsible antimicrobial use or stewardship. This year's World Antimicrobial Awareness Week carries an updated slogan, Antimicrobial, Handle with Care. At FAO, we are focusing our work on emphasizing the risks of AMR and the related threats posed to people, animals, and the environment. The response we are also uniting with the rest of the global community to strengthen food systems and safeguard livelihoods. Specifically for food and agriculture, we are promoting good practices in livestock production, aquaculture, farming, and production to reduce AMR. The aim is to raise awareness on the risk of AMR and promote prudent and responsible use of antimicrobial, including antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance is a major global threat to humans and agriculture. It has a long-term implication for both food safety and food security, and the health and economic well-being of millions of farming households and the public at large. And so, I call on all of you to please join us in creating a united front to mitigate the spread of AMR, which will help to improve the health of all living creatures. This will also strengthen our region's food systems and the safeguard livelihoods. When it comes to antimicrobial use, let's handle with care.