The inaugural meeting of the National Steering Committee and its sub-committees was held on May 25, 2026. The session was chaired by Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, in his capacity as Chair of the Lao PDR's Hosting Steering Committee.

Attendees included leaders from various ministries, sectors, mass organizations, the National University of Laos, the Vientiane Capital administration, Luang Prabang Province, districts surrounding the capital, and other relevant stakeholders.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane stressed the importance of hosting and chairing the 3rd Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. He said the conference will help promote the implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, strengthen the role of the Lao PDR on the international stage, and build a positive image for Laos as the host country. More than 900 official delegates from States Parties are expected to attend.

He urged all sectors, relevant sub-committees, and society as a whole to act as co-hosts. "We must carry out our roles and duties with a high sense of responsibility," he said, adding that preparations must be fully ready in all aspects to ensure the review conference concludes with great success.

Mrs. Moukdavanh Sisoulith, Director General of the International Organizations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, who also serves as Head of the Secretariat of the National Regulatory Authority for the Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Sector in the Lao PDR, presented progress and the main objectives of hosting and chairing the 3RC-CCM. She detailed preparations, including conference content, as well as plans to guide delegates on a field visit to Luang Prabang Province to observe actual UXO clearance operations, risk education activities, and victim assistance efforts in the Lao PDR.

During the meeting, participants thoroughly discussed the implementation of tasks within their respective responsibilities, along with the work that each relevant sub-committee must complete prior to the conference. Discussions also covered detailed task assignments and appropriate budget allocation for preparing the 3RC-CCM. Key planning areas included protocol, venue preparation, transportation services for delegates, selection of assistants and volunteers, security, health services, public communications, exhibitions, cultural preparations, and other related matters.

The Lao PDR signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions on December 3, 2008, and ratified it on March 13, 2009. Laos also hosted the 1st Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions from November 9-12, 2010.

The Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions is held every five years. It serves as the principal forum for States Parties to assess convention implementation, negotiate the next action plan, and strengthen international cooperation. The Lao PDR received unanimous support from States Parties to chair and host the 3rd Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. For a country still heavily affected by cluster munitions, this marks a significant milestone, symbolically representing the convention's "return home."