AKP Phnom Penh, February 24, 2025 --

Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has spoken highly of the achievements the country made so far in mine action and appealed to all stakeholders to contribute more to raising public awareness on the dangers of mines, cluster bombs and explosive remnants of war (ERW).

“We have worked together to achieve many major achievements in mine action, which is an important factor in contributing to national economic growth and poverty reduction. However, we need to work harder to achieve the new goal of ‘Towards a Cambodia free from the impact of landmines and ERW’ to ensure that the citizens can live and the national development takes place with high level of safety everywhere,” said the Premier in his open message on the National Mine Awareness Day 2025 (Feb. 24) themed “Together, eliminate the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance to keep communities safe.”

From 1992 to 2024, he pointed out, some 3,297 square kilometres of landmine-contaminated area have been cleared for use and cultivation, of which 81 percent is for agriculture, 4 percent for infrastructure, and 15 percent for other purposes (housing, farms, schools, health centres, etc.), benefiting more than 10 million people.

During the said period, 1,197,218 anti-personnel mines, 26,567 anti-tank mines, and 3,196,704 explosive remnants of war have been found and destroyed. The number of casualties has decreased from 4,320 in 1996 to 49 in 2024, he added.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet also mentioned the key contributions of Samdech Techo Project for Mine Action (STP-MA) in 2022 and the Royal Government's special fund to the above achievements.

To date, 15 provinces and capital – Stung Treng, Kep, Prey Veng, Phnom Penh, Preah Sihanouk, Kandal, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Kampot, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Cham, Thbong Khmum, Kampong Speu, Mondulkiri, and Kratie – have been declared mine free.

At the same time, Cambodia has been actively participating in the cause of peace and mine clearance activities worldwide as a UN member state. Since 2006, the Kingdom has deployed 9,824 Cambodian peacekeepers, including 857 women, to join peacekeeping missions under the UN umbrella in Sudan, South Sudan, Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Yemen, Chad, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Congo.

Moreover, as an active State Party to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and Their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention), Cambodia hosted the Third Global Conference on Assistance to the Victims of Anti-Personnel Mine and Other Explosive Ordnance in the Disability Rights Context in October 2023, with the participation of 45 countries.

In November 2024, Cambodia chaired and hosted the Fifth Review Conference of the Ottawa Convention, or the “Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine-Free World,” with excellent results, with a total of 983 participants from over 100 countries and many national and international organisations.

Samdech Thipadei Prime Minister took the opportunity to express his gratitude to all donor countries, development partners, national and international operators, and philanthropists, especially the demining forces, for their active participation in this humanitarian mine clearance work, considered by the Royal Government as a priority to contribute to providing safety, promoting development, and reducing poverty in Cambodia.

The Royal Government of Cambodia has decided to include mine and UXO clearance as Goal 9 of the Millennium Development Goals and as Goal 18 of Cambodia's Sustainable Development Goals, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet underlined.

The Prime Minister called on donor countries and development partners to continue to support the clearance of mines, cluster munitions, and explosive remnants of war; disaster risk reduction education; and relief efforts for people with disabilities caused by these hidden killers.

By C. Nika