AKP Phnom Penh, September 1, 2026 -- U.S.-supported mine clearance operations in Cambodia have successfully demined and returned over 714.6 million square metres of contaminated land to local communities since 1993, the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh said Tuesday.

For more than three decades, bilateral cooperation on mine action between the United States and Cambodia has made local communities safer while restoring land contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants of war back to productive use.

According to the embassy, U.S.-funded efforts have cleared thousands of square kilometres of land. The operations destroyed more than 110,000 Soviet- and Chinese-made anti-personnel and anti-tank landmines, along with over 550,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO), including cluster munitions.

In response to emerging needs following border conflicts in 2025, Washington increased its support for humanitarian demining and UXO clearance to US$13 million in 2026. This brings total U.S. financial assistance for mine action in Cambodia to US$235 million since 1993.

The U.S. Embassy highlighted that the impact of these efforts extends far beyond the removal of explosives. Every square metre of land cleared reopens opportunities for agriculture, boosts local tourism, and paves the way for sustainable economic development for future generations of Cambodians.

The United States also commended its close cooperation with the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), and Cambodian demining experts. Through this partnership, life-saving operations have expanded to border communities affected by recent conflicts.

"Most importantly, after years of hard work, this effort is helping more Cambodian families live and work safely on land that was once too dangerous to use," the embassy said.

By K. Rithy Reak