Phnom Penh, July 11, 2024 – On July 10, 2024, at the Office of the Mine Authority, Senior Minister and First Deputy Chairman of the Mine Authority, Dr. Ly Thuch, met with YAMAZAKI Koji, President of the Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS), and his colleagues to strengthen partnerships and cooperation in mine action activities in Cambodia.
During the meeting, YAMAZAKI Koji congratulated Cambodia on chairing and hosting the 2024 Ottawa Convention and wished for its success. He highlighted JMAS's 22 years of support in demining and community development activities in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, and Stung Treng provinces, which resulted in the clearance of 65 square kilometers of land, and the destruction of 21,188 mines and 396,364 unexploded ordnances (UXOs).
YAMAZAKI Koji added that JMAS plans to expand its demining and UXO clearance projects in line with Cambodia’s National Strategic Plan and sought continued cooperation and support from Cambodia. He also acknowledged Cambodia's achievements in mine action and highly appreciated Cambodia's capacity to share demining skills globally.
On behalf of the Prime Minister, Senior Minister Ly Thuch thanked JMAS Japan for its 22 years of contribution and support in demining activities and UXO clearance in the three provinces. He praised the demining project for its community development initiatives, such as building schools and agricultural infrastructure, which have significantly contributed to poverty reduction, land security, and agricultural improvement.
The Senior Minister emphasized the effective implementation of the JMAS project in collaboration with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), which meets the actual needs of communities through agricultural training programs on cleared land. He added that the Royal Government of Cambodia, under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, will continue to support the JMAS project to improve the lives of people in demined communities and confirmed the ongoing joint relations and progress between Cambodia and Japan in mine action.
