On 12 December 2022, ARMAC hosted the High-Level Meeting on “Enhancing Regional Cooperation and Resource Mobilization in ASEAN Mine/ERW Action” in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The meeting was made possible by the generous support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of the People’s Republic of China and follows from two technical working groups on this topic, hosted by ARMAC in 2021 and 2022.
The meeting was attended by high-ranking members of the diplomatic community and representatives from the National Mine Action Authorities of the affected-ASEAN Member States (AMS) and co-chaired by ARMAC Executive Director Mr. Prum Suonpraseth and Director/Counsellor Mr. Liu Zhijie of China PRC. The meeting provided a platform for AMS to propose new and innovative projects to a high-level international audience.

The ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) organized a Study Validation Workshop: Monitoring and Evaluation of Gender Equality and Inclusion in Mine Action on 28-29 November at Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The workshop also presented ongoing progress on the development and validated the findings of an upcoming study on the mine action sector’s approach towards monitoring and evaluation of gender and diversity across ASEAN countries mine action programmes. The workshop was organized to ensure that findings and recommendations presented in the draft version of the study are fit for the purpose of supporting mine action entities in their efforts to enhance gender equality and inclusion.

The ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) joined the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) as it commemorates its 30-year anniversary in demining efforts in the country. The 2-day event which is held from 21 November to 22 November at Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre featured displays on demining progress and achievements to date, as well as materials, machinery and equipment, demonstrations of manual demining as well as the use of mine detection systems, and detection of mines and explosives by animals such as dogs and rats. Senior Minister and CMAA First Vice President Ly Thuch delivered the opening remarks where he reiterated the significant contribution of development partners, national and international operators and all stakeholders over the past 30 years to the government’s mission to clear the Kingdom of landmines and address the impacts of Cambodia’s wars of decades past. Daniel Craig, UN’s global advocate for the elimination of landmines and unexploded ordnance also issued a statement noting that more than one million Cambodians still live in areas where they are at risk due to landmines.

His Excellency and Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen is expected to deliver the closing remarks later today.

International Forum on Mine Action under the theme: Challenges and Opportunity

ARMAC Executive Director  attended International Forum on Mine Action under the theme: Challenges and Opportunity held in Baku, Azerbaijan from 15-17 November 2022. The Forum helped to build linkage between ARMAC and mine action communities in the central Asia region, and forged potential cooperation between ARMAC and Azerbaijan National Mine Action Authority (ANAMA).

On 13 November 2022, ARMAC Executive Director, Mr. Prum Suonpraseth attended the Round Table Discussion on Women, Peace and Security hosted by the Embassy of Canada with the honorable presence of His Honorable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada.
The event gathered key stakeholders in the humanitarian mine action in Cambodia and the region as represented by ARMAC, all of whom actively involved in promoting more leadership roles for women in the sector.

Environmental Impact Management in Mine Action Workshop

Today ARMAC, together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), hosted Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) Organisations from around the ASEAN region in the Environmental Impact Management in Mine Action Workshop – the first of its kind in the region. The workshop is being held in Siem Reap over two days, and brings together international experts and practitioners to share best practices to ensure HMA actors take all reasonable steps to reduce the environmental impact of their activities. In opening the workshop, H.E. Ung Rachana, Chairman of the Steering Committee of ARMAC, underscored the importance of environmental management consideration, and one which would “require collective efforts to promote policy dialogue, research, capacity building, and scaling up and replicating of good practices across the ASEAN region”.