PHNOM PENH: The First Deputy Chairman of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, Ly Thuch, met with the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, to co-chair the video meeting to strengthen the partnership and cooperation on demining and explosive remnants of war.
The meeting was attended by provincial governors, deputy governors, the Provincial Mine Action Committee (PMAC) and the Mine Action Planning Working Group (MEPO) of 15 provincial administrations, which have mines and explosive remnants of war along the border. Also in attendance were Deputy Commanders, Commanders-in-Chief, Regional Commanders, Brigade Commanders and officers under the Army Command.
The Deputy Chairman of the CMAA, Ly Thuch, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Army for its efforts to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and peace for the motherland. In addition, the Army has been actively involved in demining since 1979 to provide security for the Cambodian people emerging from genocide and war.
He added that by 2022, the clearing of the remaining 2,017 square kilometers of land, where about 788 square kilometers is still inundated by unexploded ordnances, will be completed by 2025.
Lt. Gen. Hun Manet expressed his congratulations and extended his appreciation of the achievements in demining work conducted in Cambodia over the past 30 years, saying that demining work is important to contribute to reducing the danger and rehabilitating former battlefields for development.
He further confirmed that the Army has participated in the demining process at the sub-national level in the past, after receiving permission from the Royal Government of Cambodia in the letter of the Council of Ministers, No. 07 S.C.N. The Army will join the Mine Action / Humanitarian Demining Force in collaboration with CMAA to accelerate demining efforts and reach the goal of no more unexploded ordnances by 2025.
As of December 2021, Cambodia has cleared 2,328 square kilometers of land from unexploded ordnances, destroyed 1,118,810 anti-personnel mines, 25,952 anti-tank mines and explosive remnants of war, 2,983,416 cluster bombs, with 7,732,536 beneficiaries.
