Cambodian Prime Minister's Call to Action at One Health Summit 2026
- Editorial team
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
On the occasion of the One Health Summit 2026, inaugurated on April 7 in Lyon under the auspices of the French G7 presidency and in line with World Health Day, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet issued a resounding call to action.
Delivered during a roundtable dedicated to transmissible diseases, his speech goes beyond diplomacy to underscore the urgency of turning past advances into lasting impacts. “Together, we must amplify collaboration, strengthen preparedness, secure sustainable funding, and place equity at the heart of the One Health approach,” he hammered home, evoking global resilience for the benefit of humans, animals, and ecosystems.
This summit, bringing together heads of state, international organizations such as the FAO, UNEP, WHO, and OIE (now WOAH), scientists, civil society, and local actors, highlights the interdependence of human, animal, plant, and environmental health. With the WHO taking the presidency of the Quadripartite Partnership on April 8, the event aims to be a turning point for translating political commitments into multisectoral actions: prevention, pandemic preparedness, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), sustainable food systems, and environmental health.
The Cambodian Model: From the Covid Crisis to Global Contribution
Under the leadership of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Cambodia stands out as a compelling example of crisis management in a country with limited resources. Its response to the Covid-19 pandemic—from strict lockdowns to a recovery phase through mass vaccination—earned international recognition. Building on this experience, Phnom Penh now positions itself as a pillar of the One Health movement, this integrated approach that recognizes the inseparable links between human, animal, and environmental health.
On the ground, the kingdom has multiplied initiatives: multisectoral surveillance and community engagement, monitoring of wild bird migrations and ecosystems, strengthening of biosecurity and risk-based approaches in animal health, and improvement of surveillance in markets and supply chains. Committed to the WHO pandemic agreement, AMR surveillance systems, the Global Plastic Action Partnership, and ASEAN frameworks, Cambodia demonstrates resolve in the face of global challenges.
Towards Strengthened and Equitable Cooperation
Samdech Thipadei did not fail to emphasize concrete levers. He advocates for integrated surveillance and early warning systems, harmonization of standards, expansion of genomic sequencing, and rapid response mechanisms. On funding, he calls for mobilizing long-term international mechanisms, increasing national investments, and consolidating public-private partnerships. Responsible antibiotic use, regulatory reform, and integration of climate safeguards into health and agricultural policies are among his priorities.
Finally, he emphasizes evidence-based policies, investments in laboratories and staff training, equitable access to lifesaving tools, and increased community awareness. This summit thus offers a platform to rethink traditional approaches through the lens of a systemic and unifying “One Health culture,” protecting humans, animals, and ecosystems.
In a world marked by interconnected crises—pandemics, AMR, climate change—the Cambodian call resonates as a reminder: global health demands more than words; it requires shared and equitable action.