Lao People's Democratic Republic
Following the armed conflict in Laos, which took place from 1959 to 1975 during the cold war, the country was left with large amounts of surplus ammunition and explosive ordnance. Because of this ordnance, parts of the territory remain dangerous and require clearance work. Ammunition management systems also need to contribute to demilitarisation and efforts to prevent diversion.1
The UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and Nonviolence International are working on the ground to support the through-life management of ammunition, in collaboration with the Laotian government. Efforts have mainly focused on conducting physical security and stockpile management seminars, training the Laotian military and police forces on the safe and secure management of ammunition, and identifying gaps in national ammunition diversion strategies.2
1 “Support for Laos – Through Cluster Munitions Clearance and Risk Education," World Without Mines, accessed June 5, 2022, https://www.wom.ch/en/projects/laos.
2 “Ammunition Management Activity Platform (A-MAP),” GICHD, 2023, https://a-map.gichd.org.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the Small Arms Survey began collecting data in 1979, one accidental explosion has been reported in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
Table 1. Accidental explosions in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (1979–21)
| Year | Location | Owner/manager | Deaths | Injuries |
| 2010 | Seno | State (military) | 8 | n/a |
Source: “Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) Database,” Small Arms Survey, updated December 15, 2021, https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uems.
Cases of diversion
Insufficient information on cases of diversion in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
Disposal
Activities in Laos are limited to demining. Insufficient information on the destruction of ammunition in the country.
Source: "Déminage Au Laos : Les Équipes Ne Lâchent Rien,” Handicap International, accessed June 5, 2022, https://handicap-international.fr/fr/actualites/deminage-au-laos-les-equipes-ne-lachent-rien.
Needs
No needs have been reported for the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
Source: Lao People’s Democratic Republic, National Report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) (New York: Permanent Mission of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to the UN, 2020), https://unoda-poa.s3.amazonaws.com/reports/LAO-English-1113-SUBMITTED.pdf.
