PHNOM PENH, 24 November 2020 – The ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) and the United States (U.S.) Department of State/the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh co-organised a regional webinar on Protecting ASEAN Communities through Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) Implementation Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The webinar was opened by ARMAC’s Executive Director Prum Suonpraseth who underscored the importance of EORE works done by mine action stakeholders in the region.
In his welcome remarks, the U.S.’ Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Patrick W. Murphy, highlighted the long-standing U.S. support for landmine and unexploded ordnance clearance with the regional context, announcing that the U.S. will join the Friends of ARMAC.
Viet Nam’s Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Vu Quang Minh, and current Chair of the Steering Committee of ARMAC, mentioned that EORE is part of ARMAC’s mandate and functions, so continuing to identify and share good practices and lessons learned in the field of mine awareness programmes is ARMAC’s utmost priority.
He further added that EORE is an essential practice of educating communities on the dangers posed by explosive ordnance. It also ensures that when the affected communities encounter these dangers, they are able to take the proper precautions to ensure their safety, he said.
The webinar featured presentations from National Mine Action Centre/Authority, mine action related ministry and civil society organisation from Philippines which covered Adjustment made in Coordinating and/or Implementing EORE.
At the webinar, authorities and stakeholders shared knowledge, expertise and experience including good practices and lessons learned in implementing EORE during the pandemic, while ensuring no harm is done. They also discussed the consequences and challenges in implementing EORE during the pandemic, as well as the solution towards those; and whether integration of EORE and COVID-19 risk education has been in place.
Speakers from Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (Deputy Secretary General Ly Panharith), Thailand Mine Action Center (Chotiboon Anukulvanich, Interpreter and Coordinator of Special Affair), Myanmar Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement (Director General, Win Naing Tun) and Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) in Mindanao (Senior Technical Advisor, Craig Dreghorn) discussed the following topics:
- Good practices and lessons learned of EORE programme activities to protect children and overall affected communities during COVID-19 pandemic;
- Consequences and challenges faced and how these were addressed; and
- Integration of EORE and COVID-19 risk education efforts.
Additionally, a civil society organisation from Viet Nam shared the Use of Technology/Social Media in Upholding EORE to Respond to the Ramification of COVID-19. Programme Manager of the Catholic Relief Service Viet Nam Ta Thi Hai Yen introduced the use of a mobile application in their EORE activities during the pandemic.
Concluding the presentation session, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist Hugues Laurenge presented the Global Efforts to Protect Children and Overall Affected Communities through EORE. He introduced the recently released International EORE Standards and Resource Library for EORE-COVID-19. He also explained how to
The webinar was co-organised as part of ARMAC-U.S. collaborative efforts in promoting EORE works in the ASEAN region, and the 70th anniversary of U.S. diplomatic relations with Cambodia.
