On the morning of Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at the Technical Institute of Mine Action in Kampong Chhnang Province, H.E. Heng Ratana, Delegate of the Royal Government in charge as Director General of CMAC, presided over the closing ceremony for the Mine Detection Dog (MDD) and Technical Survey Dog (TSD) Handler Training Course, conducted under the partnership between CMAC and APOPO Cambodia. The event was attended by representatives from APOPO alongside CMAC leadership, technical officers, and key partners.

This specialized training program commenced on May 11, 2026, spanning approximately 13 weeks at the CMAC Dog Centre located within the Technical Institute of Mine Action in Kampong Chhnang Province. The course hosted international participants, including 10 trainees from Ukraine, 1 from Ethiopia, and 1 from Jordan, as well as 4 trainees from CMAC and 1 from APOPO.

According to a report by Mr. Mikael Bold, APOPO Program Manager, the graduation marks a historic joint milestone between CMAC and APOPO, reaching a cumulative total of 100 trained dog handlers to date. This achievement stands as a testament to CMAC's capacity to assist other countries affected by explosive remnants of war. He added that over the 13-week course, trainees underwent rigorous instruction covering key essential skills, including dog care and welfare, discipline and obedience, handler-dog communication, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for survey operations, operational safety, work discipline, and teamwork.

Speaking at the ceremony, H.E. Heng Ratana expressed his profound gratitude to APOPO—especially Mr. Ibrahim Tinjak, Chief Dog Trainer; Mr. Theam Sopheap, Director of the CMAC Dog Center; and the technical and support teams—for their dedication and effort in imparting knowledge to both national and international trainees. Their efforts contributed to the successful completion of the course, supporting humanitarian mine action efforts both in Cambodia and internationally. H.E. Heng Ratana further commended APOPO Cambodia for its continuous active support and cooperation in Cambodia's mine action sector. He extended high appreciation to the technical instructors and all trainees—with special recognition of the female trainees—for their hard work and dedication in mastering both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to achieve these impressive results.

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