New Zealand has provided Cambodia an additional $3.1 million in assistance to support of the fourth phase of a demining project along the Thai border.

On December 6, the agreement was signed by Cambodian Mine Action Authority VP Ly Thuch along with New Zealand Ambassador Jonathan Kings and UNDP Country Director Alissar Chaker.

The project has been working on demining efforts in Banteay Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces, which border Thailand, making them heavily bombarded with unexploded remnants of war. In 2021, New Zealand provided $3.8 million in financing for the project.

New Zealand Ambassador Jonathan Kings said that mine action in Cambodia has had a positive effect on the Cambodian people and praised Cambodia for its excellent work in victim relief and mainstreaming mine action.

He also stressed that achieving the common goal requires high-level cooperation. He said that although Cambodia has achieved remarkable success, the country still has a lot of work to do to meet its vision of a Mine-Free Cambodia in 2025.

Senior Minister Ly Thuch expressed his deep gratitude to the government and people of New Zealand for their support of humanitarian mine action in Cambodia.