Although significant progress has been made this century in reducing the burden of malaria, global progress in recent years has stalled. However, the global picture masks the diversity in overall trends; whilst case numbers have plateaued in many of the African countries in which the burden is greatest, in Asia and South America an increasing number of countries are close to achieving malaria elimination. In this talk I will summarise some of the recent trends, review the new tools that are expected in the coming decade, and explain how mathematical modelling can be used to explore their likely contribution to reducing burden and moving towards malaria eradication. I will also address some of the key challenges that will need to be overcome to achieve these aims and discuss how scientists can work closely with policy makers to ensure that their outputs can help to inform policy decisions.