Phnom Penh, 13 August 2026 — The 9th Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (9th APPF-GH) on Thursday morning adopted the Phnom Penh Communiqué at the National Assembly Palace.
Hosted by the Parliament of the Kingdom of Cambodia from 11 to 13 August 2026, the three-day Forum brought together parliamentarians, health leaders, representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners from across the Asia-Pacific region.
The Forum was organized with the strong support of Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and reaffirmed parliamentary commitment to advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) amid climate change and artificial intelligence.
The Phnom Penh Communiqué recognizes health as a human right and UHC as an important foundation for health equity, health security and sustainable development.
It also emphasizes stronger parliamentary action to ensure access to quality and affordable healthcare without financial hardship, particularly for vulnerable and underserved communities.
On artificial intelligence, the Communiqué recognizes opportunities to improve healthcare access, support health workers and strengthen service delivery, while calling for responsible use of AI with appropriate safeguards for safety, privacy, ethics, equity and public trust.
It also recognizes climate change as one of the greatest threats to human health and calls for stronger laws, financing, oversight and cooperation to build climate-resilient and sustainable health systems.
The Communiqué further emphasizes the role of parliamentarians in advancing UHC through legislation, budgetary decisions, oversight and representation, while strengthening primary health care and removing financial, geographical and social barriers to healthcare.
The Forum acknowledged the technical leadership of the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific in supporting countries to advance UHC, responsible AI and climate-resilient health systems.
During the final session, representatives of the National Assembly and Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia joined parliamentarians from 15 countries across the Asia-Pacific region in discussing the future of the APPF-GH, considering amendments to its Articles of Association, and approving the Phnom Penh Communiqué as a key outcome of the 9th APPF-GH.
Following its adoption, Hon. Yos Phanita, Chairman of the Commission on Economy, Finance, Banking and Auditing of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia, announced the Phnom Penh Communiqué of the 9th APPF-GH.
The full Phnom Penh Communiqué, containing the detailed commitments and actions agreed at the 9th APPF-GH, has been released for further reference.