The United States has announced a new grant of 675,000 USD to support mine-clearing operations in Cambodia, continuing its long-standing collaboration with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC).
The announcement follows a temporary freeze on American foreign aid earlier this year, which raised uncertainty about future demining projects. The new funding will cover operations from November 2025 through April 2026, adding to the more than 220 million USD that Washington has contributed to Cambodian mine action since 1993.
Cambodia remains one of the most mine-affected countries in the world, with an estimated four to six million land mines and other unexploded munitions still scattered across rural areas. Since the end of its civil conflict in 1998, nearly 20,000 people have been killed and around 45,000 injured by explosive remnants of war.
In correspondence with ScandAsia, Norwegian People’s Aid expressed enthusiasm for the newly signed project and reaffirmed its commitment to removing dangerous landmines from Cambodian land, stating:
“Together, we are working to clear Cambodia of the explosive remnants of a war that ended decades ago, but still threatens the lives and limbs of innocent civilians and impedes the safe development and economic growth of Cambodia.’”
The renewed U.S.–Norwegian partnership comes amid recent border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, where both sides have traded accusations of new mine use. Despite the dispute, NPA and its local partners continue to prioritise clearance operations as part of Cambodia’s broader humanitarian and development agenda.
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