PHNOM PENH: Senior Minister & First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action & Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), Ly Thuch, thanked the Japanese government and its people for their contribution to demining Cambodia since 1994. Cambodia has received over $200 million USD in demining assistance from Japan and the senior minister asked that the Japanese government continue to help clear land in Cambodia’s Pursat province.

On June 21, Senior Minister Ly Thuch met with Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia, Ueno Atsushi, to discuss their partnership on mine action the CMAA headquarters.

Ly Thuch expressed his gratitude to Japan for their contribution to demining Cambodia, which went towards the intergration of landmine clearance and landmine victim assistance, technical assistance and cooperation, training programs for Cambodian technicians to help other countries, such as the South-South Cooperation training program for Africa and the Cambodian Mine Action Centre’s training program for the Ukraine.

He said that Japan’s support played a pivotal role in the achievements made in Cambodia’s 30 years of mine clearance work. At the same time, Ly Thuch praised the historical diplomatic relations between the two countries over the last 70 years, during which Japan has actively contributed to maintaining peace and rehabilitating Cambodia’s socio-economic landscape.

Ambassador Atsushi also praised the historical diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Japan, which he hailed as a strategic partnership across the board. He thanked the Royal Government of Cambodia for its close cooperation and continued support in demining Cambodia, and the rest of the world, with its technical expertise.