Bucharest, 5 November 2026 – The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) held the Second Workshop on the Bucharest Pledge and Future SEEHN Priorities on 3–4 November 2026 in Bucharest, bringing forward the joint efforts of its nine Member States to shape the future of regional health cooperation.
Organised under Romania’s SEEHN Presidency, the workshop marked an important milestone in the development of the Bucharest Pledge and Strategic Action Plan 2028–2032, two key documents intended to guide the Network’s strategic direction and translate shared political commitments into practical regional action.
The Bucharest meeting built on a structured consultation process launched in February 2026, which included national questionnaires, bilateral exchanges and the First Regional Consultation Workshop, held in Skopje on 18–19 June 2026, alongside the 49th SEEHN Plenary Meeting.
These consultations revealed strong convergence among Member States on the region’s most pressing public health challenges, including health workforce sustainability, resilient health systems, emergency preparedness, prevention and control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases, digital health, mental health and healthy ageing.
Building on these findings, the Bucharest workshop provided an opportunity to further examine the proposed strategic commitments, discuss priorities for the coming years and advance the development of a common framework for regional cooperation.
A central consideration throughout the process has been the need to strengthen SEEHN’s operational role, moving beyond policy dialogue towards more effective technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, capacity building and joint regional initiatives. Particular attention has been given to the contribution of the Regional Health Development Centres (RHDCs) and the importance of stronger partnerships with WHO, the European Union and other international stakeholders.
The Bucharest Pledge is envisaged as a forward-looking political commitment reflecting the shared vision of SEEHN Member States, while the accompanying Strategic Action Plan 2028–2032 will provide the framework for its implementation, including concrete objectives, regional activities and monitoring mechanisms.
Following the Bucharest consultations, a consolidated draft of the Pledge is expected to be circulated to all SEEHN Member States for further review and comments in late November 2026.
