Cambodia hosted a One Health (OH) Satellite Event on April 1 and 2 in Phnom Penh, convening national stakeholders, researchers, and partners to review progress in addressing health risks at the human–animal–environment interface. The event was officially labelled under the One Health Summit to be held in Lyon, France, on April 6–7, linking Cambodia’s efforts to the global One Health agenda.

The event provided an opportunity to highlight Cambodia’s continued commitment to operationalizing the One Health approach, notably through the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee for One Health (IMCC-OH), bringing together the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and the Ministry of Environment (MoE).

Structured around key themes including zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food safety, and agroecology, the program combined expert presentations with panel discussions, fostering dialogue on challenges and solutions across sectors.

A dedicated session on “Research in One Health to Support Public Health Actions” placed particular emphasis on the ECOMORE network, a regional initiative supporting integrated surveillance and research on zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and Institut Pasteur, Paris. Presented among other projects by Dr. Ly Sowath, Deputy Director of the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, the ECOMORE network illustrates how scientific evidence can directly inform public health decision-making by integrated research and lined data in human, animal, rodents, mosquitos and environment. Coordinated jointly by Institut Pasteur, Paris, and the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, ECOMORE brings together eight partners across four ASEAN countries.

In Cambodia, the network contributes to strengthening integrated surveillance systems, improving the detection of circulating pathogens, and identifying high-risk areas and populations. It also supports the development of innovative diagnostic approaches and promotes, through the work of the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), the integration of climate and environmental data into health monitoring, in line with national priorities.

Discussions throughout the session underscored the importance of moving from research to action. Participants particularly highlighted the need to strengthen real-time, multi-sectoral surveillance systems, enhance coordination across institutions, and translate scientific findings into operational tools for prevention and response.

As stated by H.E. Dr. Youk Sambath, Secretary of State, MoH, Chair of IMCC-OH, in her closing speech, this satellite event reaffirmed Cambodia’s strong foundations in One Health governance and its growing role in advancing integrated approaches through various initiatives. As the country prepares to contribute to the One Health Summit in Lyon, the discussions emphasized a shared priority: transforming knowledge into impact through coordinated, evidence-based action.