Cambodia just wrapped-up its duties hosting the 5th ASEAN regional demining skills sessions and mine action management over the past three weeks with deminers from nine countries attending the session through December 9.

The training session was run by the National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces, Mines and Explosive Remnants of War Clearance (NPMEC), in collaboration with France and Australia within the UN peacekeeping framework.

In a press release, the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) quoted deputy director of NPMEC Sem Ratana as saying that this training session had run for three weeks and the trainees came from Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Nepal, Laos, Mongolia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

Ly Thuch, senior minister and first vice-president of CMAA, considered the session to be important to share information and experiences with each other in ASEAN , regional and global frameworks.

He said at the closing session that the trainees had acquired clear skills to efficiently perform work in line with UN standards to strengthen the work of preserving peace.

With France providing financial support and sending military officers, and Australia sending military officers to support the training session, Ly Thuch said: “This demonstrates incessant commitment and support for mine action in Cambodia and countries in the region.”

French ambassador to Cambodia Jacques Pellet also joined Ly Thuch at the closing session.

Ly Thuch instructed all peacekeeping forces to be deployed abroad under the UN umbrella to serve the mission countries and their people as their own. “These deeds will be taken to heart and be remembered always.”

He added that for more than 16 years, Cambodia has sent forces to take part in the UN peacekeeping missions in Africa, the Middle East and Europe for the cause of peace, security and humanitarian work in the world.