US funding pause hampers Cambodia’s efforts to clear landmines

In the aftermath of US President Donald Trump’s decision to abruptly suspend all foreign aid, Cambodia is struggling to conduct a lifesaving campaign to clear the unexploded military ordnance left behind during the Vietnam War.

As Cambodia’s decades-long effort to clear unexploded munitions came to an indefinite standstill, the authorities are calling on Washington to reverse the decision.

Cambodia continues to clear the unexploded bombs, many of which were dropped by American forces during the Vietnam War. The US State Department is a key supporter of Cambodia’s efforts to clean up the leftover ordnance.

“It affects our mine clearance operation,” Ly Thuch, a senior government minister and leading official in Cambodia’s Mine Action Authority, told AFP, adding that the US has provided around $10 million a year to fund mine clearance in the country.

“The US fund involves the deployment of more than 1,000 staff members and deminers,” he added.

While Cambodia will be able to partially carry out the efforts with the help of aid from other countries, “some deminers who do not have enough resources are suspended,” he underlined, estimating 93 demining teams would be affected.

Ly Thuch further urged the US to lift the funding suspension as “we still have a lot of minefields and landmines in Cambodia”.

Cambodia was aiming to be mine-free by 2025, but Ly Thuch said the goal might not be achieved after funding challenges and the discovery of new landmine fields along the Thai border. More than 1,600 sq km of contaminated land is still required to be cleared by Cambodian authorities.