Phnom Penh has received a 2026 World Health Organisation (WHO) Healthy Cities Recognition Award for its efforts to improve road safety and promote healthier, safer and more equitable urban mobility. The recognition 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.
A Phnom Penh delegation led by Phnom Penh Municipal Governor H.E. Khuong Sreng attended the event. According to Ms. Dor Samphors, Deputy Director of Administration and Spokesperson for the Phnom Penh Capital Administration, the award 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.
Phnom Penh's WHO recognition highlights a broader effort to make urban mobility safer by combining public education, infrastructure improvements, traffic enforcement and healthier public spaces.
Phnom Penh's Road Safety Efforts Gain International Recognition
The Phnom Penh Municipal Administration has worked closely with the Partnership for Healthy Cities (PHC) since 2017 to implement projects designed to promote public health and reduce risks associated with non-communicable diseases. Road safety has been among the areas addressed through these efforts.
According to the administration, its initiatives have included measures to improve food safety and well-being in educational institutions, reduce road accidents caused by drunk driving, and promote smoke-free public spaces in tourist and pedestrian areas such as Chaktomuk Walk Street. Together, these efforts form part of the capital's wider approach to creating healthier and safer urban environments.
School Areas Become a Focus for Safer Urban Mobility
In 2025, the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration launched a pilot project focused on improving 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 centred on three key measures. The first was educating students and residents about road traffic laws. The second involved improving infrastructure and installing modern safety facilities, including traffic signs, road markings, smart speed-limit displays and security cameras.
The third measure focused on strengthening traffic monitoring and deploying traffic police and officers around the 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.
Eight Cities Selected from More Than 150 Applicants
The WHO recognition followed an evaluation involving more than 150 cities across the Asia-Pacific region that applied for the 2026 WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards.
Only eight cities were selected to receive the awards, with Phnom Penh among the recognised cities. The selection places the Cambodian capital among a small group of Asia-Pacific cities recognised for their efforts to advance healthier and safer urban environments.
For Phnom Penh, the recognition highlights the city's continued work on urban mobility and public health, particularly through practical measures that combine infrastructure, education and traffic management.
A Wider Push for Healthier and Safer Phnom Penh
The award also underscores the connection between road safety and the broader quality of urban life. Safer roads and better managed transport environments can directly affect the daily experiences of students, teachers, residents, pedestrians and other road users.
Phnom Penh's cooperation with the Partnership for Healthy Cities since 2017 has provided a framework for implementing initiatives addressing public health risks. The latest recognition reflects the city's efforts to translate that cooperation into measures targeting road safety, public spaces and healthier urban mobility.
Conclusion
Phnom Penh's 2026 WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Award marks international recognition of the capital's ongoing efforts to improve road safety and urban well-being. From public education and traffic enforcement to safer school zones and modern road safety infrastructure, the initiatives demonstrate a practical approach to reducing risks across the city.
With Phnom Penh selected alongside just seven other cities from more than 150 applicants across the Asia-Pacific region, the recognition provides a significant acknowledgment of the capital's efforts to build a safer, healthier and more equitable urban environment.