AKP Phnom Penh, September 2, 2026 --

The Phnom Penh Municipal Administration has received a 2026 World Health Organisation (WHO) Healthy Cities Recognition Award in recognition of its efforts to improve road safety and promote healthier, safer and more equitable urban mobility.

The award was presented on Sept. 1 in Sydney, Australia, during the 11th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities and the 2026 WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards, attended by a Phnom Penh delegation led by Phnom Penh Municipal Governor H.E. Khuong Sreng.

According to Ms. Dor Samphors, Deputy Director of Administration and Spokesperson for the Phnom Penh Capital Administration, the recognition reflects the capital's continued efforts to improve residents' health and well-being through infrastructure development, improvements in local education and healthcare services, and the development of safer transport systems.

She said Phnom Penh has worked closely with the Partnership for Healthy Cities (PHC) since 2017 to implement various projects aimed at promoting public health and reducing risks associated with non-communicable diseases.

These initiatives include improving food safety and well-being in educational institutions, reducing road accidents caused by drunk driving, and promoting smoke-free public spaces in tourist and pedestrian areas such as Chaktomuk Walk Street.

In 2025, the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration also launched a pilot project to improve infrastructure and supporting facilities for safer travel around two schools: the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship School and Hun Sen Chak Angre Primary and Secondary School.

The project focused on three key measures: educating students and residents about road traffic laws; improving infrastructure and installing modern safety facilities such as traffic signs, road markings, smart speed-limit displays and security cameras; and strengthening traffic monitoring and deploying traffic police and officers around schools during peak student arrival and departure times.

According to the administration, these measures have helped reduce traffic risks and improve safety for students, teachers and residents in the targeted areas.

The recognition follows an evaluation involving more than 150 cities across the Asia-Pacific region that applied for the 2026 WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards. Eight cities were selected to receive the awards, including Phnom Penh.

By C. Nika