Representatives of Central Asia took part in the 9th World One Health Congress, held on September 4–7, 2026, in Lisbon, Portugal. The Congress brought together over 1,300 experts from 107 countries, featuring approximately 600 scientific posters and more than 80 sessions dedicated to scientific research, policy, governance, and the practical implementation of the One Health approach.
Central Asia was represented at the Congress by the Regional One Health Secretariat and members of the Regional Coordination Council. Oksana Kravtsova, One Health Project Coordinator at the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), presented the progress of regional cooperation among the five Central Asian nations and the work of the Regional Secretariat. Arslan Soltanmyradov and Sanam Khudaybergenova participated in an international panel discussion dedicated to One Health financing. On the sidelines of the Congress, the delegation also held a series of multilateral meetings with international partners.
In her address, Oksana Kravtsova highlighted the shared path undertaken by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Central Asia is home to over 80 million people, united by shared ecosystems, wildlife migration routes, transboundary river basins, and expanding trade in livestock and agricultural products. At the same time, these shared interconnections magnify common risks, including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food safety threats, and the impacts of climate change.
The realization that such challenges cannot be tackled effectively by a single country or sector alone laid the foundation for developing regional cooperation grounded in the One Health approach.
In 2022–2023, the countries of Central Asia solidified their political commitments to joint action, adopting a Joint Communiqué and a Regional Framework for Action. In 2025, the Regional One Health Secretariat—hosted by CAREC—and the Regional Coordination Council, bringing together representatives from key government sectors across the five nations, were formally established.
The Regional Secretariat serves as a neutral platform that helps countries exchange expertise, harmonize regional approaches, strengthen existing systems, and leverage additional funding. Its work complements the efforts of international partners and the Quadripartite Alliance, ensuring cross-sectoral coordination among governments, international organizations, academia, and other stakeholders.
In June 2026, during the third meeting of the Regional Coordination Council, the Regional One Health Action Plan was approved, covering ten priority areas. Among them are the development of a regional laboratory strategy, climate risk assessments, and food safety governance.
Currently, the Regional One Health Information Portal is also being developed. Its initial preview is scheduled for September 14, as part of the fourth meeting of the Regional Coordination Council. On September 15, a dedicated scientific day, “One Health in Central Asia,” will take place in Bishkek, convening researchers, government officials, and international partners active in the region. In addition, preparations are underway for the first cross-border simulation exercise between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, with a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding currently being drafted.
A focal point of Central Asia’s participation was the session titled “Financing One Health: Sourcing Funding, Structuring Investments, and Involving Private Sector Partners,” organized by the World Bank jointly with FAO on behalf of the Quadripartite Alliance. The session’s concept highlighted sustainable financing as one of the key bottlenecks for One Health implementation, featuring Central Asia's regional experience as a dedicated case study.
Participants discussed pathways to transition from ad hoc grant funding to long-term sustainable financing models, integrate One Health into national budgets, unlock climate and innovative finance, and engage the private sector. Special emphasis was placed on ensuring inclusive investment decision-making by involving local communities and vulnerable groups whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented.
Arslan Soltanmyradov presented Turkmenistan’s national experience, illustrating how regional agreements are translated into tangible national actions.
Turkmenistan has established a National Intersectoral One Health Committee, engaging the public health, veterinary, environmental, and related sectors. National focal points have been appointed, cross-sectoral consultations conducted, and more than 600 specialists trained in biosafety, laboratory quality management systems, and One Health operational practices.
Efforts also encompass upgrading laboratory infrastructure, enhancing surveillance for zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance, and conducting joint risk assessments. Turkmenistan’s progress was showcased as a clear example of how decisions adopted at the regional level translate into concrete domestic measures.
Uzbekistan’s experience was also presented during the financing discussions. The country is integrating One Health and the All-Hazards approach into its National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) for 2024–2028, advancing multisectoral coordination, and exploring opportunities to diversify funding streams.
Particular attention was drawn to the fact that long-term sustainability requires moving beyond reliance on grants to institutionalizing interventions within national programs, building domestic institutional capacities, accessing environmental and climate finance, and forging novel partnerships.
Despite the progress achieved, Central Asian delegates underscored remaining gaps.
Specifically, the environmental pillar of One Health remains underfunded, despite its direct link to preventing upstream health threats. In addition, climate finance mechanisms and disaster risk financing instruments have yet to be fully harnessed.
Therefore, the next phase of regional engagement must focus not only on mobilizing new resources, but also on architecting a resilient financing framework that combines domestic budgets, international mechanisms, climate funds, and private-sector partnerships.
This regional agenda strongly resonated with one of the overarching messages of the 9th World One Health Congress. Participants adopted a Joint Statement and Call to Action, urging the international community to translate high-level One Health commitments into dedicated financing and enforceable policy.
For Central Asia, this transition is already taking concrete shape: a regional coordination mechanism is established, the Regional Secretariat is actively operating, and the countries have endorsed a joint roadmap and moved into its operational phase.
Participation in the Lisbon Congress provided the regional delegation with an opportunity not only to share these achievements with the global community, but also to explore future cooperation, emerging financing facilities, and opportunities to reinforce the regional One Health system with international partners.
On September 7, at the invitation of Professor Xiao-Nong Zhou, Dr. Kairat Tabynov, CAREC Veterinary Sector Consultant for One Health, took part in the fourth Editorial Board meeting of the international journal Science in One Health. During the meeting, a concept was put forward for an upcoming special issue dedicated to research collaboration between Central Asian and African scientists in the field of One Health. The initiative received preliminary endorsement from the journal's leadership and will be further discussed with partners across the African continent.
Central Asia’s key message to the international community is clear: the region already possesses strong political commitment, an institutional framework, and a joint roadmap. The next critical task is to secure sustainable resources for their robust implementation.