Japan has appreciated Cambodia’s remarkable progress in all sectors, especially the mine and unexploded ordnance clearance.
The appreciation was made by H.E. Natsuo Yamaguchi, a Member of the House of Councillors in the National Diet of Japan and President of Japan’s Komeito Party, when inspecting the construction progress of Techo Peace Museum funded by the grant aid of the Government of Japan in Siem Reap province on July 14.
H.E. Natsuo Yamaguchi recalled that during his first visit to Cambodia in 1991 and 1992, the country’s civil war was going on, and land mines were a big issue here.
In 2000, H.E. Natsuo Yamaguchi joined in researching and producing demining machines provided to the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) for mine clearance.
CMAC has, he added, significantly contributed to sharing its demining experience with landmine-affected countries, including Colombia, Iraq, Angola, Laos, Myanmar, Ukraine, and other countries in the African region.
According to H.E. Heng Ratana, Director General
of CMAC, Japan has actively contributed to reducing the number of people affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Cambodian mine victims fell from 4,320 people in 1996 to 32 people in 2023.
During the first six months of 2024, Cambodia recorded 32 victims of landmines.
Since 1994, Japan has provided over US$200 million for Cambodia’s mine clearance through CMAC, Japanese NGOs that are partners of CMAC, and technical assistance.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse