• Excellency Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority
• Excellency Ly Panharith, CMAA Secretary General and Clearing for Results Project Director
• Excellency Tep Kallyan, CMAA Deputy Secretary-General and Clearing for Results Project Manager
• Mr. Jonathan Kings, Ambassador of New Zealand to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia
• Mr. Na Sang-Deok, Minister Counsellor of Embassy of Republic of Korea to Cambodia
• Ms. Chintana Vongpaseuth, First Secretary and Consul of Embassy of Australia to Cambodia
• Ms. Choi Moon Jung, Country Director, KOICA Cambodia

• Partners and colleagues.

Good afternoon! I hope you had a smooth trip to Banteay Meanchey. This province has an iconic importance as it was on the frontlines of much of the fighting during the Cambodian Civil Wars of the 1970s and 1980s, and as a result it is one of the three most heavily mine-contaminated provinces in Cambodia along with Pailin, and Battambang.

I would like to begin by thanking CMAA under the leadership of His Excellency Ly Thuch, for their hard work, advocacy, and partnership-building that has made the Clearing for Results Project the success story it is today. 
Allow me to extend a warm welcome to H.E. Mr. Jonathan Kings, Ambassador of New Zealand and his team who join us for the first time in person, and to our esteemed partners Mr. Na Sang-Deok, Minister Counsellor of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia and -    Ms. Chintana Vongpaseuth, First Secretary and Consul of Embassy of Australia to Cambodia and Ms. Choi Moon Jung, Country Director, KOICA Cambodia.  

Excellencies, ladies, and gentlemen,
The Project Board is the project governance and partnership structure, where we review together the project progress made against the 2023 approved work plan and budget, and discuss key challenges, lessons learned, and risk management. The project will also present to the board its 2024 annual budget and work plan proposals for endorsement.

The Clearing for Results project has demonstrated again positive results during the past 12 months. Beyond releasing land for safe passage and access – providing immediate relief for thousands of people – the project has also contributed to recovery and development efforts. The Explosive Ordnance Risk Education continued to be another important component during this year.

I am also happy to report the positive results of the Mid Term Review of Gender Mainstreaming in Mine Action Plan (2021-2025) that demonstrate a clear commitment to promoting gender mainstreaming across all the pillars of the project.  

At the core of the 2030 Agenda is the principle of ‘leave no one behind’ and ‘reaching the furthest behind first’ to ensure the inclusiveness of development. Given the humanitarian and developmental impacts of mines, cluster munitions, and other explosive remnants of war, mine action is often at the forefront of rebuilding lives and communities that have been marginalized and made vulnerable by conflict. UNDP reconfirms its commitment to continue supporting the Royal Government’s efforts to ensure all people live with dignity and to reach the aspiration of a mine-free Cambodia.

Landmine removal has broad positive impacts ranging from economic growth, casualty reduction, enhancing trust in government institutions, and putting land back into productive and safe use. From January to the end of October, Clearing for Results has safely released 33 km2 of land that benefitted over 45,000 people, including over 21,600 women. From performance monitoring, we collected evidence on gains for communities that range from the increase in sales of rice, cassava, and corn etc., to safer access to schools, hospitals, markets, and water points.

During 2023, the Clearing for Results project also continued to collaborate with partners to enhance access to health services and promote the inclusion of explosive ordnance survivors in social and economic life, advocating full respect for and safeguarding of their human rights and dignity. The Clearing for Results project works with implementing partners to provide emergency and ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, socio-economic inclusion, and advocate for the rights of survivors of explosive ordnance and other persons with disabilities.

I will take this opportunity to congratulate the CMAA for the success of the recent Global Conference on Assistance to the Victims of Anti-Personnel Mines and Other Explosive Ordnance in a Disability Rights Context. We look forward to continuing to support the implementation of the recommendations as we go forward. 

The project also supported CMAA’s attendance at the 21st Meeting of States Parties in Geneva. During this meeting, Cambodia was elected as president and host of the Fifth Review Conference in 2024. The road to the Fifth Review Conference has already started and the year ahead will be extremely significant for Cambodia.

Excellencies and colleagues,
For over five decades, landmines in Cambodia have affected nearly everyone’s life. Loved ones have lost their lives, limbs were shattered, livelihoods disrupted, and development delayed. During the next 24 months remaining in the life of the project, we will continue to be purposeful and innovative in accelerating the ambition of a mine-free Cambodia where development and demining can go on unhindered.

The CFR project has been acknowledged time and time again as one of the best mine action projects in the world thanks to CMAA’s leadership and your valuable contributions and partnership. It is gratifying to have our common sustained efforts and impact recognized. I, thus, extend my sincere thanks to CMAA, our implementing partners, development partners, and the project team for their diligent work and contributions to the Clearing for Results project.

Thank you.