From a supported country to a Global Leader in Mine Action: Cambodia’s Goal of a World Free of Landmines


Over the 20 years of the Vietnam War and the subsequent conflict, approximately 2.75 million tons of bombs were dropped on Cambodia, and an estimated 4 to 6 million landmines were buried.

Following the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) was established by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) to address the landmine issue. In 1993, CMAC became a Cambodian government organization, but despite the signing of a peace agreement, conflict continued, slowing down landmine clearance operations.

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Source: Japan International Cooperation Agency


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