Phnom Penh (FN), Feb. 24 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said that from 1992 to 2024, a total area of 3,297 square kilometres has been cleared for use and cultivation over the past 32 years.
The premier mentioned in a congratulatory message issued on Monday (Feb. 24) to mark the 26th anniversary of National Mine Awareness Day, under the theme “Together, eliminate the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance to keep communities safe.”
Samdech Thipadei noted that of the 3,297 square kilometres cleared, 81% was designated for agriculture, 4% for infrastructure, and 15% for other purposes, including the construction of housing, farms, schools, and health centres, benefiting over 10 million people.
The prime minister reported that 1,197,218 anti-personnel mines, 26,567 anti-tank mines, and 3,196,704 explosive remnants of war have been located and destroyed.
In 2024 alone, an area of 273 square kilometres was cleared, during which 17,853 anti-personnel mines, 228 anti-tank mines, and 91,111 explosive remnants of war were discovered and neutralised. The number of casualties has significantly declined from 4,320 in 1996 to 49 in 2024.
Additionally, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet emphasised that Cambodia has made significant progress in mine clearance, a crucial factor in promoting national economic growth and reducing poverty.
“This remarkable success does not make us complacent; rather, it requires us to work even harder to achieve the new goal of ‘Towards a Cambodia free from mines and explosive remnants of war’ to ensure the safety of our people and national development across the country,” Samdech Thipadei underscored.
In 2022, Samdech Techo Hun Sen initiated the “Samdech Techo Project for Mine Action” under the theme “Providing Safe Land, Creating Smiles,” with the participation of civil servants, the armed forces, citizens, and philanthropists.
Simultaneously, the Royal Government established the “Cambodia Mine-Free Fund 2025” to address landmine issues, release land for safe use, and eliminate mine-related casualties. This effort is being implemented through the Mine-Free Villages Mechanism, which aims to clear landmines systematically from village to village, commune to commune, district to district, and province to province.
Since 2022, Cambodia has declared 15 capital cities and provinces as mine-free, including Stung Treng, Kep, Prey Veng, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Kandal, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Kampot, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Cham, Tbong Khmum, Kampong Speu, Mondulkiri, and Kratie.
=FRESH NEWS
