Phnom penh: Cambodia is calling for urgent international support to clear explosive remnants of war (ERW) left behind from a recent five-day armed clash with Thailand. During a meeting here today with the new Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Cambodia, Mr. Enrico Gaveglia, Senior Minister Dr. Ly Thuch emphasised the immediate threat that unexploded ordnance poses to civilians.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the remnants, which include air-dropped bombs, cluster munitions, and artillery shells, have contaminated critical community areas such as pagodas, schools, health centers, and farmland. H.E. Dr. Thuch, who also serves as the First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), urged UNDP to help mobilise additional resources for impact assessments and clearance operations. The ultimate goal, he stated, is to ensure the safe return of displaced families to their homes and livelihoods.
In response, CMAA plans to launch an Emergency Response Programme to seek support from friendly nations, development partners, the private sector, and philanthropists. This initiative aims to enhance public safety and community well-being in the affected areas. The Senior Minister also thanked UNDP for its longstanding partnership in humanitarian mine action through the "Clearing for Results" programme, which has focused on mine clearance, risk education, and victim assistance. He specifically acknowledged key donors, including Australia, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and Luxembourg.
In a move to transform border areas into zones of "peace, friendship, cooperation, and development," Cambodia's Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has initiated new humanitarian mine action efforts. These initiatives prioritise the clearance of clearly demarcated border areas, populated communities, and economically vital locations. For his part, Mr. Enrico Gaveglia confirmed that UNDP is preparing a new programme to succeed "Clearing for Results Phase IV," which is set to conclude by the end of 2025. He reaffirmed UNDP's commitment to helping Cambodia achieve its goal of becoming mine-free by 2030.
Since 2006, the "Clearing for Results" programme has cleared over 407 square kilometres of land, benefiting approximately 1.3 million Cambodians. Phase IV of the programme alone cleared 163 square kilometres between 2020 and July 2025, directly assisting more than 336,000 people.