2016 was a landmark year for the relationship between the United States of America and Lao P.D.R., with the creation of the US-Laos Comprehensive Partnership and an historic visit by the sitting U.S. President Barack Obama to Lao PDR. That visit included public recognition of the secret war in Laos and a significant increase in funding and support to addressing the legacies of war, particularly unexploded ordnance. Join us for an in-depth discussion a decade on about the current state of the bilateral relationship and ongoing work to address the legacies of war.
This event is hosted by the War Legacies Working Group, a collection of organizations which forms partnerships throughout the United States and Southeast Asia to address issues related to unexploded ordnance, Agent Orange, mine clearance, and other legacies of war.
Featured Speakers
Ambassador Daniel Clune, Former U.S. Ambassador to the Lao PDR
Dan Clune served as United States Ambassador to Laos from 2013 to 2016. During his 31-year career in the Foreign Service, he served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at embassies in Australia and The Bahamas, as well as leading the U.S. Delegation to the Paris Club. Following retirement, Ambassador Clune was appointed as Chair of the Board of Directors for Mines Advisory Group US (MAG), an organization dedicated to locating, removing, and destroying landmines, cluster munitions, and unexploded ordnance in areas affected by conflict.
Sera Koulabdara, CEO of Legacies of War and Co-Chair of the War Legacies Working Group
Sera Koulabdara is the CEO of Legacies of War, an advocacy and educational organization dedicated to addressing the enduring impacts of war through U.S. funding for global humanitarian demining, survivor assistance, and explosive ordnance risk education. A recognized expert in disarmament, international humanitarian law, and civilian protection, she is an unwavering advocate for communities affected by conflict. Sera serves as Co-Chair of the War Legacies Working Group, Advisory Council Member of the Campaign Against Arms Trade, and is a founding member of the Global Leadership Council. Her insights have been featured in many prominent outlets including The New York Times, The Hill, Responsile Statecraft, USA Today, and The Washington Post.
Susan Hammond, Executive Director and Founder, War Legacies Project
Susan Hammond, the daughter of a U.S. Vietnam veteran, became interested in post-war Southeast Asia after traveling to Vietnam and Cambodia in 1991. In 1996, after earning her MA in International Education from NYU, Susan returned to Vietnam to study Vietnamese. She became involved in fostering mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and addressing the long-term impacts of war while working as the Deputy Director of the Fund for Reconciliation and Development (FRD) from 1996 to 2007.
Brian Eyler, Senior Fellow and Southeast Asia Program Director (Moderator)
Brian Eyler directs the Southeast Asia Program and the Energy, Water, and Sustainability Program. He is an expert on transboundary issues in the Mekong region and specializes in China’s economic cooperation with Southeast Asia. He spent more than 15 years living and working in China and over the last two decades has conducted extensive research with stakeholders in the Mekong region. He is widely recognized as a leading voice on environmental, energy, and water security issues in the Mekong. Brian is co-lead on the Mekong Dam Monitor, the winner of 2021 Esri Special Achievement in GIS Award, 1st Prize in the 2021 Prudence Foundation’s Disaster Tech Competition, and the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation’s 2021 Outstanding Achievement Award. His first book, Last Days of the Mighty Mekong, was published by Zed Books in 2019. He holds a MA from the University of California, San Diego and a BA from Bucknell University.
