CGIAR Antimicrobial Resistance Hub lead, Arshnee Moodley, appointed chair of the World Organisation for Animal Health Antimicrobial Resistance Working Group
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has formally appointed Arshnee Moodley as chair of its Antimicrobial Resistance Working Group, effective 16 June 2025. This leadership role was confirmed during the 92nd WOAH General Assembly held on 27 May 2025 in Paris, France.
The appointment reflects Moodley’s longstanding contributions to global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research, policy and cross-sectoral collaboration spanning 23 years. Not only does she lead the CGIAR AMR Hub and head the AMR team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) but she is also an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, where she researches the same themes, supervises students and teaches AMR and One Health.
As chair of the seven-member working group, which includes representation from all WOAH regions, she will oversee the implementation of WOAH’s strategy on AMR and the prudent use of antimicrobials in animals and help to drive the recommendations from the second WOAH global conference on AMR.
These include keeping WOAH’s Terrestrial and Aquatic Codes and the national legislation that implements them fully up to date, quantitative reporting on antimicrobial use, phasing out antibiotics for growth promotion and strictly limiting critically important classes. These recommendations reinforce WOAH’s mission to improve global standards and promote responsible stewardship of the medicines that keep animals healthy.
Reflecting on the announcement, Moodley said:
‘To me, this reflects the collective work we are doing at ILRI and the CGIAR AMR Hub. We cannot talk about healthy animals or nutritious food without acknowledging the essential role of the antimicrobials we use to keep animals alive and our production systems functioning. I am honoured to help strengthen the international response to AMR, particularly in the context of animal health in low- and middle-income countries.’
During her three-year term, her responsibilities will include coordinating the group’s work plans and meetings, reporting on activities to WOAH leadership and member states, and facilitating communication across relevant technical departments and standard-setting commissions.
With over 20 years of research experience in AMR and over 100 peer-reviewed publications, Moodley is well positioned to steer the working group. A familiar presence on the international stage, she chairs the steering committee of the AMR multi-stakeholder partnership platform, leads its research and academia cluster, and previously served on the advisory group to the independent panel on evidence for action against AMR. She has also contributed to several initiatives, including the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR. Her appointment arrives at an important time, as momentum builds more coordinated, inclusive and evidence-informed strategies to tackle AMR.
