Banteay Meanchey (FN), Sep. 9 – First vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) Ly Thuch, on Wednesday, led the representatives of the donor countries – Australian Ambassador to Cambodia Pablo Kang; Korean Ambassador to Cambodia Park Heung-Kyeong; KOICA Cambodia Country Director Rho Hyunjun; and UNDP Cambodia’s Resident Representative Nick Beresford – to visit mine areas located in O'Bei Choan district in Banteay Meanchey province.

Banteay Meanchey is the province recorded with the highest number of mine victims in Cambodia, with 8,882 victims, an equivalent to 14 percent of all accidents nationwide.

On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Ly Thuch thanked the Government and people of Australia, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and UNDP for providing the funds to assist mine clearance in Cambodia, which has saved lives and created livelihood opportunities through agricultural production.

He also thanked donor countries and partners like the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, China, Norway, Ireland, Canada, and UNICEF for their active support.

The demining project was established in 2006 and is a multi-donor project that supports the Royal Government of Cambodia in resolving mine issues and contributing to the achievement of the National Mine Action Strategic Plan 2018-2025.

UNDP is responsible for mobilising resources, including funding and technical advisers, and the Mine Authority is responsible for overseeing project implementation.

“Clearing for Result IV Project” is the latest mine-clearing phase, aimed at clearning all mines by 2025. From 2006 to July 2020, the project cleared 246.5 square kilometres of landmines, found and destroyed 69,815 anti-personnel mines, 1,496 anti-tank mines and explosive remnants.

With international support, the Kingdom plans to be free of land mines by 2025.
=FRESH NEWS