The delegation was warmly welcomed by Mr. Mick Raine, Country Director of APOPO, who provided an insightful tour of the center’s activities.

Humanitarian deeming in Cambodia remains a complex and challenging task, requiring innovative solutions. Therefore, the delegation engaged in detailed discussions about APOPO’s unique operations in the country, focusing on the use of specially trained rats for landmine detection.

This visit included a briefing on APOPO’s clearance methodologies and the land release approach they implement in Cambodia.

Cambodia remains heavily impacted by landmines, necessitating innovative and persistent efforts in demining. The delegation visited CMAC’s training center in Kampong Chhnang province, where H.E. Um Phumro, Deputy Director General of CMAC, introduced them to the center’s state-of-the-art training facilities.

The delegation learned about the structure of various training courses, including dog training and harvesting programs, essential for effective demining.

#ARMAC #ANAMA #CMAC #MineAction #Cambodia #RegionalCooperation #ASEAN #TechoPeaceMuseum

The meeting served as an excellent platform to discuss shared goals and challenges in mine action. VNMAC’s detailed presentation offered a deeper understanding of their comprehensive efforts in demining and explosive ordnance risk reduction, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in ensuring the safety and development of affected communities.

ARMAC and ANAMA leaders also shared the purpose of their regional visit, highlighting the significance of international cooperation in mine action and the need for continuous knowledge exchange to achieve our common objective: a mine-free and secure future.

Cambodia’s journey towards becoming mine-free requires continuous efforts and strategic planning. Therefore, the delegation was warmly received and briefed by H.E. Prum Sophakmonkul, Vice President of CMAA, and H.E. Ly Panharith, Secretary General of CMAA, on CMAA’s operations and future plans.

The visit included a tour of CMAA’s Database Unit, where the delegation observed the meticulous work involved in tracking and managing demining activities across the country.

Effective mine action relies heavily on accurate data and robust operational strategies. Therefore, the discussions focused on enhancing cooperation and sharing expertise to further strengthen Cambodia’s mine action capabilities.

During the visit, the delegation had the opportunity to exchange valuable experiences with the Lao PDR National Regulatory Authority, gaining a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and successes in Lao’s mine action efforts. The visit included a comprehensive overview of NRA’s operations and a tour of the national UXO training center, providing firsthand insights into the rigorous training and preparedness activities underway in the country.

This visit, following our fruitful discussions in Thailand, is a testament to our commitment to fostering international cooperation in mine action. It highlights the importance of sharing best practices and uniting our efforts to create a safer, mine-free world.

Together, we continue to build a strong regional network dedicated to overcoming the legacies of unexploded ordnance and advancing peace and security in Southeast Asia.

Let’s continue to work together to transform challenges into shared victories.

During the visit, ARMAC and ICRC engaged in fruitful discussions on ongoing and future efforts to mitigate the impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in the ASEAN region.