UK Pledges £1.6m to Support Mine Clearance Efforts in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, May 6, 2026 (KPT) — The United Kingdom has pledged £1.6 million ($2 million) to support mine clearance and explosive ordnance risk education in Cambodia over the next year, officials said Wednesday.

The funding, covering 2026–2027, was announced by Ambassador Dominic Williams at the British residence in Phnom Penh.

It aims to improve community safety and livelihoods while supporting Cambodia’s target to meet mine clearance obligations by 2030.

The support will be channelled through HALO Trust, Mines Advisory Group and APOPO. HALO and MAG are expected to clear more than 890,000 square metres of land in provinces including Battambang and Siem Reap, benefiting more than 5,000 people.

Their work will also include over 4,000 risk education sessions reaching tens of thousands, many of them women and children.

APOPO will expand its “Minefields to Ricefields” initiative, combining clearance with agricultural redevelopment across 3.4 million square metres of land, directly supporting at least 500 farming households.

Cambodia remains one of the world’s most mine affected countries, a legacy of decades of conflict.

Senior Minister Ly Thuch said the UK partnership in humanitarian mine action had remained strong for more than 40 years, reflecting a shared commitment to safety and human dignity. Britain has contributed around £65 million to mine action in Cambodia to date.