Blog

23 Apr
Regional Seminar on the Full and Effective Operationalisation of ARMAC

ARMAC had the honour of being a part of the Regional Seminar on the Full and Effective Operationalisation of ARMAC on 22-23 April 2019 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – MFA.IC . This two-day seminar covered the discussion on experiences and best practices in addressing mines/ERW in the ASEAN region, the progress and development of ARMAC, the roles of ARMAC in enhancing regional efforts through integrated approach as well as ARMAC’s financial sustainability in the recent and upcoming years.

The seminar also included a field visit to the Cambodian Mine Action Center’s – CMAC’s training facility and Peace Museum. The demonstration of Mine Detection Rats by APOPO’s HeroRATs and Mine Detection Dogs by CMAC were also made during the visit.

This seminar had active participation from delegates from the ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Secretariat, Mine Action Centre/Authority, Mine Action related organisations in the ASEAN region, Research Institutions and other Development Partners. Much appreciation was extended to all delegates for their continued support of ARMAC.

04 Apr
International Mine Awareness Day 2019 Seminar

On 4 April 2019, close to 400 attendees gathered to mark the 2019 International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action hosted by ARMAC, with funding support from the Government of Norway, the Royal Thai Government, the Government of Ireland, and the Clearing for Results Project.

Celebrated under the theme of “Raising Mine and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) Awareness for Peace, Stability and Resilience in #ASEAN through Youth Participation” the day saw 32 sponsored university students join a seminar to learn about the dangers of mines/ERW and efforts to address them.

The day was opened by H.E. Mr. Panyarak Poolthup, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Kingdom of Cambodia and Chair of ARMAC Steering Committee, and H.E. Mr. Morten Høglund, Norway’s Dedicated ASEAN Ambassador, who both highlighted the significance of the day and the students’ important efforts.

H.E. Mr. LY Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) delivered the keynote address and toured an exhibition of the student’s artworks and essays, which were produced as part of the student’s efforts to spread awareness on the impacts of mines/ERW.

Closing out the day, the students were presented with certificates to thank them for their participation and to acknowledge their commitment to act as youth ambassadors by sharing mine/ERW information with their peers and youth communities.

For more information about the event, visit ARMAC’s Mine Awareness Day 2019 Website.

(ARMAC 04 April 2019)

14 Mar
International Mine Action Roundtable: Challenges and Best Practices

The Executive Director, Mr. Ly Panharith, is currently attending the 3rd day of the International Mine Action Roundtable: Challenges and Best Practices, organised by the Islamic Republic of Iran Mine Action Center and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The roundtable is aimed at bringing together mine action stakeholders and experts from different countries and contexts in order to exchange ideas and foster information sharing.

08 Feb
22nd International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and United Nations Advisers

ARMAC had the pleasure of attending and presenting at the 22nd International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and United Nations Advisers (NDMUN22) last week at the Palais des Nations, UN Geneva. The presentations are now available for download from the NDMUN22 Website.

ARMAC convened a meeting to discuss the needs for capacity development in mine action with delegations from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand.

30 Nov
17th Meeting of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention

The 17th Meeting of the States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention is currently underway in Geneva. The meeting gathered more than 600 delegates to take stock of the status of the Convention and its current level of implementation.

ARMAC, represented by its Executive Director, Mr. Ly Panharith, is attending the meeting and spoke during the side event “Towards a Mine-Free Cambodia, 2025.”, which explored the country’s mine action progress and how stakeholders such as ARMAC can assist Cambodia in reaching its 2025 goal.

The Executive Director of ARMAC also had the pleasure to liaise a meeting between delegates from Thailand and Myanmar of the ASEAN family on the margins of the Meeting.

14 Nov
Third Day of ARMAC’s 2018 Regional Workshop

Today is the last day of ARMAC’s Regional Workshop, funded by the Mission of Canada to ASEAN. Over the last three days the Workshop has covered the full scope and breadth of mine action and brought together ASEAN and international stakeholders to share their insights and knowledge.

The Workshop’s final day’s sessions covered the areas of research and development as well as how international cooperation can be a key factor in ensuring the sustainability of mine action programmes. Also covered was how Cambodia’s support to ARMAC as host country has assisted the Center in operationalizing and continuing its future mission.

The Workshop was closed by H.E Mr. Meas Kim Heng, who noted the importance of an ASEAN focused mine action center in building connections and communications between member states to share knowledge and resources.

For more information on the workshop, including photos and presentation slides visit the 2018 Regional Workshop Website.

13 Nov
Second Day of ARMAC’s 2018 Regional Workshop

Day two of ARMAC’s Regional Workshop was held today in Siem Reap and began with a field trip to the Cambodian Mine Action Center Deming Unit 4. Participants were welcomed by H.E. Mr. Prum Suonpraseth, Senior Director of CMAC, who briefed the attendees on the history and progress of mine action in Cambodia.

Workshop participants also had the opportunity to tour the Peace Museum and see first hand mine detection animals including dogs and APOPO’s HeroRATs. Manual deminers also showcased their skills and helped to illustrate the realities of mine action on the ground.

In addition to the field trip the second day of the Regional Workshop also featured more panel sessions including discussions on land release methodologies as well as a talk highlighting the importance of integrating gender perspectives into all aspects of mine action.

For more information on the workshop, including photos and presentation slides visit the 2018 Regional Workshop Website.

(ARMAC 13 November 2018)

12 Nov
First Day of ARMAC’s 2018 Regional Workshop

Today is the opening day of ARMAC’s inaugural Regional Workshop, funded by the Mission of Canada to ASEAN. The Workshop’s aim is to “enhance mine action knowledge and promote future platforms of mine action knowledge sharing for ASEAN Member States”.

The workshop was opened by Lt. Col Jean Gosselin, Defence Attaché, Embassy of Canada to the Kingdom of Thailand. Opening remarks were given by H.E Mr. Michael Tan, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the Kingdom of Cambodia and Chair of the ARMAC Steering Committee.

This first day features a number of sessions and discussions including presentations on the linkages between mine action and the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as panel discussions on enhancing victim assistance and sharing best practices in mine risk education.

For more information on the workshop, including photos and presentation slides visit the 2018 Regional Workshop Website.

15 Dec
Enhancing Regional Coordination Efforts…

Enhancing Regional Coordination Efforts in Addressing ERW

The seminar on Enhancing Regional Coordination Efforts in Addressing ERW was organised by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC) and was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on 15 December 2017. The seminar was chaired by H.E. Mr. Prum Suphakmonkol.

The seminar was attended by the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC), Cambodian Ministry of Interior, Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance, Cambodian Ministry of National Defense – National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces (NPMEC), Cambodian Mine Action Centre and Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), and aimed to enhance coordination between organisations. Strategies to optimise the mobilisation of available resources from other countries in the ASEAN region were also discussed during the seminar.

The seminar resulted in recommendations for ARMAC and the other organisations for potential future collaboration and potential programmes.

The Royal Government of Cambodia has committed to supporting the first 2 (two) years of the operasionalisation of ARMAC, which will be followed by a contribution from The Philippines. ARMAC will continue to encourage other ASEAN Member States to provide contributions towards ARMAC’s operations.

(ARMAC, 15 December 2017)

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