PHNOM PENH, July 26, 2024 — During a farewell meeting with Miles Hawthorn, the outgoing Country Director for Halo Trust in Cambodia, Senior Minister Ly Thuch expressed profound gratitude for the organization's longstanding contribution to mine clearance in Cambodia.

Miles Hawthorn reflected on the enduring partnership and substantial progress made in demining efforts over more than three decades. “Even though my mission here ends, Cambodia and its people will always hold a special place in my heart,” Hawthorn remarked.

The meeting, which took place on July 25, highlighted the significant achievements of Halo Trust since its inception in Cambodia in 1991. Under its guidance and in collaboration with the Mine Authority, Halo Trust has successfully cleared over 511 square kilometers of land, removing 322,015 anti-personnel mines, 5,117 anti-tank mines, and 219,571 other explosive remnants of war.

Ly Thuch, who serves as the First Vice President of the Mine Authority, credited the success of these operations to the support from international partners such as Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ireland, and HDR & D. “These partners have been instrumental in our joint efforts to rid our lands of the lethal legacy of past conflicts,” he stated.

The Senior Minister also praised the courage and dedication of the deminers who risk their lives daily to secure and return safe lands to the Cambodian people.