Phnom Penh (FN), Aug. 8 - The Canadian government announced to continue to support Cambodia to clear landmines and unexploded ordnances, moving towards a mine free by 2025, according to Cambodian Mine Action Center’s (CMAC) press release on wednesday.

The Charge d'Affaires Allison Stewart said that since 1994, the Government of Canada has contributed approximately $50 million to mine clearance in Cambodia, according to the statement.

Senior Minister Ly Thuch, First Vice President of the CMAA expressed his appreciation the Government of Canada’s humanitarian activities in supporting Cambodia to fight against mine.

The Royal Government of Cambodia is committed to clear all mines from Cambodia by 2025 under the assistance of partners and stakeholders.

Cambodian Mine Action Center requires $100 million to clear landmines and unexploded ordnances for the next five years, according to Heng Ratana, Director General of CMAC.

"To clear landmines, CMAC has prepared 10-year rolling plan (2016-2025) to clear 50,000 hectares of landmines and 120,000 hectares of suspected landmines that will require about $100 million in the first five years," stated Heng Ratana.

Over the last 25 years, from 1992 to 2018, CMAC demolished 518,233 anti-personnel mines, 10,667 anti-tank mines, all unexploded ordnances in total of 2,836,837, cleared up more than 956 square kilometers of landmines.

Cambodians are still vulnerable to landmines. Recently people in Preah Vihear and Banteay Meanchey provinces suffered from mines explosion, which required the Royal Government to continue solving not just landmine, but also cluster and chemical bomb.
=FRESH NEWS