Phnom Penh, Nov 25 (IANS) The Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine-Free World was held here in northwest Cambodia’s Siem Reap province on Monday, discussing actions to build a safer and more peaceful world from mines.
The summit brought together delegates from more than 150 countries, which are state parties to the Mine-Ban Convention, known as the “Ottawa Treaty,” Xinhua news agency reports.
Speaking at the opening session of the summit, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said although Cambodia achieved full peace in 1998, the shadow of landmines continued to loom large and posed a dire threat to human lives and post-war recovery.
He said that to date, Cambodia has cleared over 3,000 square kilometres of landmines, destroying over 1 million anti-personnel mines and three million explosive remnants of war (ERWs).
“We have declared 15 of the 25 capital cities and provinces as mine free,” Manet said. “Nevertheless, our journey is far from over. We still have over 1,600 square kilometres of contaminated land, affecting the lives of approximately 1 million people.”
Cambodia is one of the countries worst affected by landmines and ERWs. An estimated 4 million to 6 million landmines and other munitions have been left over from three decades of war and internal conflicts that ended in 1998.
According to an official report, from 1979 to June 2024, landmine and ERW explosions claimed 19,830 lives and either injured or amputated 45,242 others in Cambodia.
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, under-secretary-general of the United Nations and executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), said the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will remain out of reach for affected communities if the landmine threat is not fully addressed.
“In the face of new and ongoing conflicts, we must ensure that our commitments translate into practical, sustained support for countries in need,” she said.
Alisjahbana said the United Nations stands ready to reinforce and expand its support to mine-affected countries.
“Together, we can achieve a world free from landmines and a prosperous future for generations to come,” she added.
Ly Thuch, a senior minister and first vice president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), said the summit reflected a shared determination to rid the world of the cruel and lingering legacy of landmines.
“This summit is not just a meeting of nations but a collective reaffirmation of our unwavering commitment to peace, human dignity, and solidarity,” he said.
“Together, we stand at the crossroads of history, where the painful memories of conflict are being replaced by a future built on hope, resilience, and peace,” Thuch added.
The summit will last till November 29.
–IANS
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