AKP Phnom Penh, January 12, 2026 --

The Royal Government of Cambodia and the Government of Japan on Monday signed an exchange of notes and related documents on a grant aid agreement to implement Phase 3 of the Integrated Mine Clearance and Victim Assistance Project.

The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, with H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and H.E. UENO Atsushi, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia, signing on behalf of their respective governments.

According to Director General of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) H.E. Heng Ratana, under the agreement, Japan will provide a grant of 1.7 billion Japanese yen (approximately US$11.3 million) to support the CMAC’s operations. The project will be implemented over a two-year period from January 2026 to January 15, 2028.

The project will focus on mine clearance and victim assistance activities in three target provinces – Battambang, Pursat, and Koh Kong – and is expected to directly benefit more than 27,000 households, along with many additional indirect beneficiaries.

To achieve the project’s objectives, CMAC will deploy more than 350 operational personnel. In addition to clearing mine-contaminated farmland, the project will also provide advanced technical equipment and modern technologies, including ALIS mine detectors, mine-clearing machinery, drones, artificial intelligence–based data systems, and small-scale livelihood development support for mine victims.

On the occasion, CMAC Director General H.E. Heng Ratana expressed his deepest gratitude to Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet and Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn for their strong support in mobilizing this assistance. He also extended sincere thanks to the Government and people of Japan for their continued support for humanitarian mine action in Cambodia through grant aid and technical assistance.

By C. Nika