AKP Phnom Penh, May 18, 2026 --

Battambang province this morning hosted the handover ceremony of the achievements of the Project for Integrated Mine Clearance and Landmine Victim Assistance, Phase II, and the commencement of ground operations for the new Phase III project under Japanese grant assistance.

The event, held at the CMAC MORODOK TECHO Development Centre in Koas Kralor district, was presided over by H.E. Deputy Prime Minister PRAK Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and High Representative of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei HUN Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, together with H.E. UENO Atsushi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Cambodia.

During the event, H.E. Deputy Prime Minister PRAK Sokhonn expressed profound gratitude to the people and Government of Japan for supporting Cambodia’s mine clearance and landmine victim assistance efforts. He noted that Phase II of the project received funding of 2 billion Japanese yen, or more than US$17 million, to support mine and explosive remnants of war clearance operations, as well as assistance for mine victims through the construction of rural road infrastructure in Pursat, Battambang, and Pailin provinces.

He added that the newly launched Phase III project, valued at 1.7 billion Japanese yen, or more than US$11 million, will continue supporting mine action activities in Pursat, Battambang, and Koh Kong provinces.

H.E. PRAK Sokhonn highly commended all mine clearance units for their continued efforts, noting that more than 3,542 square kilometres of land have been cleared nationwide, with over 4.5 million anti-personnel mines of various types discovered and destroyed. Of the total cleared land, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) alone cleared approximately 2,136 square kilometres, enabling local communities to safely cultivate farmland and improve their livelihoods.

The Deputy Prime Minister also paid tribute to deminers who were injured or lost their lives while carrying out mine clearance operations.

He reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment, as one of the countries most severely affected by landmines and as a State Party to the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines, to fulfilling all obligations under the convention and upholding its spirit.

Cambodia, he added, is also proud to contribute mine clearance and unexploded ordnance disposal forces to United Nations peacekeeping missions.

On the occasion, H.E. PRAK Sokhonn also expressed appreciation to other development partners and donors supporting mine clearance efforts in Cambodia, including China, the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, as well as partner organisations such as UNDP, NPA, JICA, JMAS, APOPO, Golden West, Japan International Cooperation System, Japan Crown Agents Japan Limited, Komatsu, and Nikken Corporation.

By C. Nika