PHNOM PENH: The President of the European Union (EU) Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, Tassilo Brinzer, announced his support for humanitarian demining in Cambodia after meeting with the First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), Senior Minister Ly Thuch, on Wednesday morning (23 March).
During the meeting, Senior Minister Ly Thuch briefed the President of the EU Chamber of Commerce on the efforts of the Royal Government of Cambodia and its success in dealing with landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) over the past 30 years, with the support of development partners and allied countries. The Royal Government was especially able to make many achievements in regard to landmine clearance thanks to the establishment of complete peace throughout the country under the win-win policy of Prime Minister Hun Sen. He also explained that Cambodia has set out a goal to end the landmine threat by 2025 and become a landmine free country, and continue addressing whatever issues may remain post-2025/post-ERW.
He added, "In support of the Royal Government's priority plan and achieving the vision of 'a mine-free Cambodia by 2025,' the Mine Authority has developed guidelines on the implementation of a demining village mechanism that will ensure that all mines in the village have been cleared, with the aim of accelerating demining and attracting the support of development partners and philanthropists. The implementation of this mechanism will go from village to village and provinces affected by minor mine problems. In fact, the Mine Authority has successfully completed this task in Kep province and plans to complete demining work in Prey Veng province with the support of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia."
The Senior Minister also asked the European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia to examine the possibility of supporting demining efforts in Kampong Cham province.
The EU Chamber of Commerce President in Cambodia, Tassilo Brinzer, expressed his condolences to Cambodia, which was badly affected by the war and was left with a large number of landmines and unexploded ordnance spread across the country, endangering the Cambodian people. At the same time, he praised and expressed his appreciation for the efforts and achievements of the Royal Government of Cambodia, which has Mine Authority staff working hard to deal with the problem of landmines and ERWs.
He accepted the Senior Minister's request to support demining in Kampong Cham province, saying that the EU Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia would join the Royal Government of Cambodia in humanitarian demining and mobilize financial resources from the private sector within the framework of the EU to support this work.
