Phnom Penh, 3 August 2022: The ARMAC Permanent Secretariat was pleased to welcome a visit from a delegation from the Switzerland Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, led by H.E. Kurt Kunz, Ambassador of Switzerland to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN. During the meeting, the Executive Director of ARMAC, Mr. Prum Suonpraseth, provided an overview of ARMAC’s history and mandates, and described the outcomes from ARMAC’s recent strategy stakeholder workshops held in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Mr. Prum Suonpraseth discussed mutual areas of interest between ARMAC and the Government of Switzerland, and the possibility of ARMAC collaborating with Switzerland in support of the recently published ASEAN-Switzerland Plan of Action.

Hanoi, Viet Nam

On the 5th of July, ARMAC held its strategy stakeholder meeting in Hanoi, Viet Nam. The meeting drew representatives from over 8 government and non-government organizations to provide inputs into the preparation of ARMAC’s first five-year strategic plan.

The meeting is the third of a series of workshops that will encompass stakeholders across mine-affected AMSs. A special session meeting is taking place on 11 July where the outcome from the country consultations will be one of the key points to be discussed.

The goal of ARMAC is to reduce the impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war throughout the region through enhanced awareness in communities, victim assistance, and the sharing of knowledge amongst AMSs.

Bangkok, 1 July 2022

ARMAC Executive Director Mr. Prum Suonpraseth paid a courtesy call on H.E. Ms. Helene Budliger Artieda, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR (Residence in Bangkok) while he was on-route from attending the Intersessional Meeting of the APMBC and UN NDM 25th held in Geneva, Switzerland from 20-24 June 2022.

The official trip is meant to cement and further advance cooperation between the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center and the Swiss Federal Government as well as other international organizations and partners based in Geneva.

ARMAC ED updated the Ambassador on the progress and achievements made by ARMAC and the Strategy Plan that ARMAC is currently formulating by embarking on a wide range of consultations with AMSs and relevant partners/stakeholders in the region.

ARMAC ED thanked the Ambassador for the financial contribution made by the Swiss Government to support the operations of ARMAC Permanent Secretariat in 2022 and also exchanged views on the soon-to-be adopted ASEAN-Switzerland Plan of Action where ARMAC could play a crucial and contributing role in helping to advance ASEAN-Switzerland cooperation in area of humanitarian mine action.

Bangkok, Thailand

On the 30th of June, ARMAC held its second strategy stakeholder meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop drew representatives from over 10 government and non-government organizations to provide inputs into the preparation of ARMAC’s first five-year strategic plan.

On the 7th of June, ARMAC held its inaugural strategy stakeholder meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The workshop drew representatives from over 15 government and non-government organizations to provide input into the preparation of ARMAC’s first five-year strategic plan.

The meeting is the first of a series of workshops that will encompass stakeholders across mine-affected ASEAN Member States (AMSs). The next workshop will be held in Thailand at the end of the month followed by Viet Nam in early July. The goal of ARMAC is to reduce the impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war throughout the region through enhanced awareness in communities, victim assistance, and the sharing of knowledge amongst AMSs.