Phnom Penh (FN), Feb. 6 – Heng Ratana, Delegate of the Royal Government in charge as Director General of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), announced that on 5 February 2025, the Chinese government approved a grant of USD 4.4 million to support Cambodia’s mine clearance efforts.

The funding is part of the China-Aided Cambodia Landmine Elimination Project and will be allocated over 12 months, from 1 March 2025, to 29 February 2026. The project will support operations in seven provinces including Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Stung Treng, Kratie, and the Sonkhak Technical Institute in Kampong Chhnang province.

The initiative will provide support to over 400 CMAC technical experts and focus on key activities, including:

1. Clearing more than 3,400 hectares of land contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).

2. Conducting research on UXO and cluster munitions in the target provinces.

3. Strengthening the capacity of the Sonkhak Technical Institute.

4. Enhancing sub-national capacity in mine risk education and mine victim assistance.

According to Heng Ratana, the 2025 grant marks the third year of the third phase of China’s assistance program (March 2023 to February 2026), with a total funding commitment of USD 13.2 million.

From 2018 to December 2024, the CMAC project has achieved significant milestones, including:

- Clearing more than 15,060 hectares of land.

- Discovering and removing 82,844 landmines and UXO.

- Responding to 6,668 emergency requests from citizens and local authorities.

- Providing mine risk education to over 1.86 million people.

- Benefiting more than 2.48 million people, both directly and indirectly.
=FRESH NEWS