HOUAPHANH PROVINCE, LAO PDR, Friday, 12th December 2025 – Major Muhamad Syuaib bin Haji Meraj, Officer Commanding, First Squadron Field, Engineer Regiment, Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF), represented the Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam, at the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts' Working Group on Humanitarian Mine Action (EWG on HMA) held from 9th to 12th December 2025 at Xanglot Cave, Viengxay District, Houaphanh Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The meeting, hosted by Lao PDR and co-chaired with the Russian Federation for the 2024–2027 cycle, brought together ADMM-Plus member states to advance cooperation, strengthen regional preparedness, and enhance collective expertise in HMA.
The meeting commenced with welcome remarks by the Guest of Honour, Major General Phayvanh Chanthaphomma, Permanent Secretary for National Defence of Lao PDR, who emphasised the importance of sustained ADMM-Plus collaboration in enhancing ASEAN's readiness and capability in HMA. This was followed by opening remarks from the Co-Chairs, Colonel Feuangxay Milakong, Deputy Director General, Foreign Relations Department, Ministry of National Defence, Lao PDR, and Colonel Alexander Porkhunov, Deputy Chief, International Mine Action Centre, Military Engineering Academy, Ministry of Defence, Russian Federation.
The engagement featured participation—both physical and via recorded video—from all ADMM-Plus countries, with additional presence from the Republic of Türkiye as an observer, the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre (ARMAC). Key discussions include the Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) Risk Education Programme, effective delivery of Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) to local communities, and increasing women's participation in ERW clearance. Delegates also exchanged insights on the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) and deliberated the Initial Planning Conference (IPC) for the Field Training Exercise (FTX) scheduled for the third quarter of 2026 in the Russian Federation. A site visit to an ongoing Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) clearance operation in Bak Village was also conducted.
Such participation reflects the Royal Brunei Armed Forces' continued commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, interoperability, and expertise in HMA.
MESYUARAT ADMM-PLUS KUMPULAN KERJA PAKAR HUMANITARIAN MINE ACTION KE-16
WILAYAH HOUAPHANH, LAO PDR, Jumaat, 12 Disember 2025 – Mejar Muhamad Syuaib bin Haji Meraj, Pegawai Memerintah, Skuadron Pertama Medan, Regimen Jurutera, Tentera Darat Diraja Brunei (TDDB), telah mewakili Kementerian Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam di Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Pertahanan ASEAN Plus Kumpulan Kerja Pakar bagi Humanitarian Mine Action ke-16 (16th ADMM-Plus Experts Working Group on Humanitarian Mine Action, HMA) yang berlangsung dari 09 hingga 12 Disember 2025 di Gua Xanglot, Daerah Viengxay, Wilayah Houaphanh, Republik Demokratik Rakyat Lao (Lao PDR). Mesyuarat ini, dihoskan oleh Lao PDR dan dipengerusikan bersama dengan Persekutuan Rusia bagi kitaran 2024–2027, menghimpunkan negara-negara ADMM-Plus dalam usaha memperkukuh kesiapsiagaan, meningkatkan kerjasama serantau dan memperluas kepakaran dalam bidang HMA.
Mesyuarat dimulakan dengan ucapan alu-aluan oleh Tetamu Kehormat, Mejar Jeneral Phayvanh Chanthaphomma, Permanent Secretary for National Defence, Lao PDR, yang menekankan kepentingan kerjasama berterusan ADMM-Plus bagi meningkatkan kesiapsiagaan dan keupayaan ASEAN dalam HMA. Seterusnya, ucapan pembukaan telah disampaikan oleh Pengerusi Bersama, Kolonel Feuangxay Milakong, Deputy Director General, Foreign Relations Department, Ministry of National Defence, RDR Lao, dan Kolonel Alexander Porkhunov, Deputy Chief, International Mine Action Centre, Military Engineering Academy, Ministry of Defence, Persekutuan Rusia.
Mesyuarat tersebut menampilkan penyertaan secara fizikal dan rakaman video oleh semua negara ADMM-Plus dengan kehadiran Republik Türkiye selaku pemerhati, Sekretariat ASEAN dan ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre (ARMAC). Antara perbincangan utama termasuk Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) Risk Education Programme, penyampaian Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) kepada komuniti setempat, peningkatan penyertaan wanita dalam operasi pelupusan ERW, serta perkongsian pandangan mengenai Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA). Mesyuarat juga membincangkan mengenai Initial Planning Conference (IPC) bagi Field Training Exercise (FTX) yang dijangka berlangsung pada suku ketiga 2026 di Persekutuan Rusia. Selain itu, lawatan tapak ke operasi pelupusan Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) di Kampung Bak turut dilaksanakan.
Penyertaan ini mencerminkan komitmen berterusan Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei dalam memperkukuh kerjasama serantau, meningkatkan interoperabiliti serta memperluas kepakaran dalam bidang HMA.
