Senior Minister H.E. Ly Thuch requested the European Union to continue supporting the vision toward a Cambodia free from the impacts of mines and explosive remnants of war, particularly supporting the clearance of munitions left behind by Thai military forces.
On March 25, 2026, at the headquarters of the Cambodian Mine Action Authority, H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the Authority, held a working meeting with Cosmin Dobran, Director for Peace, Partnerships and Crisis Management at the European External Action Service (EEAS), and his delegation to exchange views on the border situation and support for mine clearance efforts.
On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, H.E. Senior Minister Ly Thuch warmly welcomed the EU delegation for this important dialogue. He also expressed gratitude to the European Union for its long-standing partnership in Cambodia’s mine action efforts, as well as its support for Cambodia as Chair and host of the 5th Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 2024. He highly appreciated the EU’s continued commitment to supporting a mine-free world.
At the same time, H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch highlighted the Royal Government’s strong and active efforts in addressing landmines and explosive remnants of war, which have resulted in significant achievements for the nation and its people, and earned high recognition from the international community as a leading country in mine clearance.
Despite these achievements, he also raised ongoing challenges caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance, particularly along the Cambodia–Thailand border, where the situation remains complex and has had serious impacts. He noted that additional munitions were left behind by Thai military forces during the two Cambodia–Thailand conflicts in 2025.
To address these remaining challenges, H.E. Senior Minister Ly Thuch emphasized to the EU delegation the Royal Government’s clear vision of achieving a Cambodia free from the impacts of mines and explosive remnants of war.
On that occasion, on behalf of the Royal Government and people of Cambodia, H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch requested the European Union to continue supporting this vision, especially in clearing newly discovered mines and explosive remnants from the Cambodia–Thailand conflicts in 2025.
During the meeting, Mr. Cosmin Dobran praised and highly appreciated the Siem Reap–Angkor Action Plan toward a mine-free world, which Cambodia chaired and hosted during the Ottawa Convention Review Conference 2024 in 2024. He further affirmed that the European Union will continue its commitment to supporting humanitarian mine clearance efforts in Cambodia.