Phnom Penh, July 2, 2024 – On July 1, 2024, at the Office of the Mine Authority, Dr. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Deputy Minister of the Mine Authority, met with Mr. Ueno Atsushi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Cambodia, to strengthen cooperation in the field of mine action.

On behalf of Prime Minister Hun Manet, Senior Minister Ly Thuch expressed his deep gratitude to the Royal Government and the people of Japan for their active support and cooperation in the field of humanitarian mine action in Cambodia for more than 30 years. Cambodia considers Japan an outstanding and long-standing partner. Japan's participation has significantly contributed to reducing poverty, providing safe land, mitigating mine risks, and improving agriculture.

As the Chair of the 2024 Ottawa Convention, Dr. Ly Thuch thanked Japan for its support of the global mine action sector and assistance to countries in need of mine action. Additionally, Cambodia supports Japan's upcoming chairmanship of the 22nd Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention in 2025.

Ambassador Ueno Atsushi expressed gratitude to the Royal Government of Cambodia for its close cooperation in humanitarian demining operations. He also mentioned the upcoming official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the President of JMAS to Cambodia in July 2024. The President of JMAS will hold a bilateral meeting with Dr. Ly Thuch during the visit.