In June 2026, the third meeting of the Regional Coordination Council on the "One Health" concept was held online. The event was organized by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), which provides regional coordination and expert support for the program. The meeting brought together representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and international partners.
The main outcome of the meeting was the unanimous approval of three documents that will define the region's security framework: the Regulations of the Council, the Regional Action Plan, and the Communication Plan. These documents establish a unified foundation for inter-country coordination and help ensure rapid responses to threats affecting human, animal, and environmental health.
What Will Change in Practice?
Cross-Border Exercises: The countries are beginning preparations for their first joint simulation drills. These will allow specialists to practice response algorithms for dangerous infectious disease outbreaks and test inter-agency coordination under conditions that closely mimic real-life scenarios.
Unified Laboratory Standards: A shared strategy for laboratory networks is set to be created. This will improve the external quality assessment of research, simplify the exchange of expertise, and strengthen the regulatory framework for the safe transportation of biomaterials.
Digital Portal: The technical launch of the regional "One Health" platform is scheduled for late July 2026. It will serve as a single hub for sharing documents, analytics, and best practices, providing specialists with centralized access to information.
Additionally, participants were presented with a monitoring and evaluation framework featuring both national and regional indicators. This system will help track the implementation of initiatives and timely adjust collective actions.
What’s Next?
The next meeting of the Regional Coordination Council will take place on September 14–15, 2026, in Bishkek. Participants will review the initial outcomes of the adopted decisions and outline further steps to implement the Regional Action Plan.
Shoira Toirova, PR-specialist “One Health” Program