Even though Cambodia continues to suffer from mines and explosive remnants of war, the Kingdom is committed for a mine free world, said Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet at the opening ceremony of the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine-Free World in Siem Reap provincial city this morning.
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, also President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), said today’s summit offers us a crucial opportunity to reflect on Cambodia’s progress, address emerging challenges, and chart a future that ensures the continued relevance and success of the Ottawa Convention in this increasingly uncertain world.
The Premier said Cambodia got full peace in 1998, but the shadow of landmines continues to loom large and pose dire threat to human lives and post-war recovery.
According to Samdech Thipadei, Cambodia’s reconstruction was also challenged when landmines continued to impede our development and national integration. Indeed, neither investors nor tourists would come, ever come to a country dotted with red signs of danger mines. The psychological toll has been equally profound. For many Cambodians living in the midst of landmines made it difficult to embrace the reality of peace and security.
To date, he continued, Cambodia has destroyed over 1 million anti-personnel mines and some three million explosive remnants of war. We have also cleared over 3,000 square kilometres of landmines. We have drained 15 of the 25 capital cities and provinces as mine free. Casualties have plummeted from an average of over 4,300 per year in 1996 to fewer than 100 annually in the past 10 years.
“Nevertheless, Cambodia is far from over. Cambodia still having over 1,600 square kilometres of contaminated land and is affecting lives of approximately 1 million people. This is why ending the negative impact of mines and explosive remnant of wars and promoting victim assistance is indeed a cornerstone of our sustainable development agenda and we remain with our 18 national sustainable development goals,” he said.
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet underlined that Cambodia has intensified efforts to survey and clear landmines, expand education and awareness programmes, and strengthen assistance to victims worldwide.
Cambodian Senior Minister H.E. Ly Thuch, First Vice President of CMAA and President of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention said for 25 years, this Convention has been a beacon of hope for millions around the world. It has saved lives, restored communities, and enabled families to reclaim their futures. But it has also done something more—it has brought the world together in a shared mission to uphold the dignity of life. Together, we have proven that even the darkest legacies of war can be overcome when we unite under the banner of peace.
The work of this Convention has cleared more than just land; it has cleared a path toward a future where fear no longer rules. It has allowed farmers to once again sow their fields, children to walk freely to school, and communities to flourish. The ripple effect of mine clearance is immeasurable—what begins with safety blossoms into growth, opportunity, and prosperity.
“As we gather here today, we celebrate the tireless efforts of all those who have sacrificed—often at great personal cost—to make this vision of a mine-free world a reality. We remember the lives that have been saved and honour the memories of those who gave everything to this cause,” he said.
Today, Cambodia continue this journey under the leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, whose dedication to the cause of mine action has reinvigorated our mission. His commitment ensures that Cambodia remains a global leader in the fight against landmines, standing tall on the international stage as a nation that has not only survived but thrived to the Cambodian government, past and present, their tireless efforts and unyielding determination have made this transformation possibility.
