This poster presents a collaborative initiative between ILRI, EUCAST, and ICARS aimed at strengthening antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) capacity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where laboratories often lack resources and consistent standards. The programme used a multi-component approach including hands-on training, SOP development, on-site mentorship, and baseline assessments via the FAO ATLASS tool, reaching 100 participants across 33 laboratories in 19 countries. Key outputs included 30 standardised SOPs, 13 webinars, 9 on-site trainings, and 2 regional workshops, with the main observed improvement being greater alignment with EUCAST/CLSI methodology. The authors conclude that AST capacity in LMICs can be meaningfully improved through standardisation and mentorship, and emphasise that continuous support, peer networking, and integration of LMICs into global AST standardisation efforts are essential for sustainable progress in AMR surveillance.
