Canada lends aid to mine summit with $260K contribution
CANADA has provided Cambodia with over $260,000 to support the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on “a Mine-FreeWorld”, set to be held in November.
The announcement was made during a February 20 meeting between Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) first vice-president Ly Thuch, who also chairs the Ottawa Convention this year, and Alan Bowman, director-general for Southeast Asia and Oceania at Canada’s foreign affairs department, as reported by the authority on February 21.
During the meeting, Bowman expressed his admiration of Cambodia’s growth and progress in various sectors, including its achievements in mine clearance, and congratulated Cambodia on chairing and hosting the convention this year, according to the CMAA.
“Canada has provided [the funds] to support the organisation of the 5th Review Meeting of the Ottawa Convention, or the Siem ReapAngkor Summit, to be hosted by Cambodia,” it said.
Thuch expressed his gratitude to the Canadian government and people for their contributions to Cambodia’s development and mine action sector, as well as for supporting the summit.
“Canada has strongly supported the tasks of clearing landmines and explosive remnants of war [EWR] in Cambodia. We have also set the vision to completely solve the landmine problem by 2025,” he stated.
On the same day, Thuch also met with EU ambassador to Cambodia Igor Driesmans to discuss demining efforts.
He noted that the EU had supported Cambodia’s progress and humanitarian mine action work since 1992, contributing to providing safe land and reducing the danger of landmines.
Thuch requested the EU to consider supporting the upcoming summit.
“We have regarded the outcome of the Third Global Conference on Assistance to the Victims of Anti-Personnel Mines and Other Explosive Ordnance, which received the financial support of the EU in 2023, as an important component for discussion at the … summit,” he added.
Driesmans acknowledged that he had submitted the request for support to EU headquarters for consideration.
He praised Cambodia for its accomplishments in clearing landmines, viewing the efforts as crucial for reducing victim numbers and contributing to development in the country.