Mine Clearance

As a result of past internal and regional conflicts, Cambodia is still one of the most mine-affected countries in the world, which poses serious adverse socio-economic impacts on rural communities including human loss and disabilities as well as restrictions on access to agricultural land, forests, and water resources. Poor people and women are particularly affected.

In the past 30 years, Cambodia has cleared over 1’900 km2 of minefields, benefiting approx. 5.6 million people (♀:50%) and improving livelihoods of thousands of rural people. However, an area of approx.1’800 km2 is still contaminated, including 860 km2 of minefields. Annual casualty numbers decreased from 2’070 in 1993 to under 60 in 2018. In the first half of 2019 landmine and unexploded ordnances (UXO) accidents have increased due to progressive land use of previously uncultivated land along the Cambodian-Thai border, the so-called K5 mine belt, which has the highest number of minefields.

The government launched the National Mine Action Strategy (NMAS) 2018-25 and announced its own local SDG 18 on mine action with the goal to make Cambodia a mine-free country by 2025. The government estimates that USD 406 million are required to complete the task.

Impact: Improved livelihood opportunities for men and women, enabling wider economic development and casualty reduction in vulnerable rural communities in Cambodia (K5 mine belt).

Outcome: 25,000 vulnerable rural households in north-western Cambodia are able to safely use released land and are at less risk of accidents. 

1.    To make safe land available for agriculture and infrastructure development in poor rural communities, in particular border communities expanding through internal migration;

2.    To reduce casualties by provision of Risk Education and removing mines and other Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) where they pose the greatest threat;

3.    To support participatory planning and prioritization of mine clearance activities to ensure effective mine clearance and post-clearance land use.

Expected results:  

-    Clearance of 7.20 km2 of high priority minefields in the K5 mine belt at the Cambodian-Thai border;

-    Clearance of 5 km2 of hazardous ERW contaminated land through non-technical surveys;

-    2,500 mine risk education (MRE) sessions;

-    1-2 trainings/year for national database management of CMAA .

Results from previous phases:  

Key results include: Clearing of 120 km2 of minefields, benefitting over 1 million people; Launch of the National Mine Action Strategy (NMAS) 2018-2025; Capacity building and implementation of the National Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) by GICHD; Hosting of International Youth Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance of ASEAN countries in Phnom Penh.

Lessons learnt on high overheads: The UNDP project implementation generates high operational costs and non-negotiable overhead rates in line with the UN general management service agreement (GMS). As donors’ focus in the coming years until 2025 is shifting towards direct funding of mine clearance operators to support Cambodia’s local SDG 18 on mine action, the high costs of UNDP’s mine clearance unit are hardly justifiable. After assessing funding options for Switzerland’s future engagement in the mine action sector 2020-25 and in line with a strengthened WOGA approach, SCO Phnom Penh will focus on the direct financing of mine action operators together with other donors while the Human Security Division will support capacity building to CMAA and ARMAC through its core contribution to GICHD.

Phase 2 01.01.2020 - 31.12.2022   (Completed)