Cambodia Calls on All States Parties to Uphold the Norms and Humanitarian Spirit of the Ottawa Convention

Cambodia Calls on All States Parties to Uphold the Norms and Humanitarian Spirit of the Ottawa Convention

Geneva, Switzerland, 1 December 2025 — Representing the Royal Government of Cambodia, H.E Dr. Ly Thuch, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), delivered a statement on the progress of humanitarian mine action in Cambodia at the 22nd Meeting of States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention) on 1 December 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.

In his remarks, Cambodia called upon all States Parties to preserve the standards, norms, and humanitarian spirit underpinning the Ottawa Convention. Cambodia firmly believes that no State Party should exploit the Convention for political advantage or engage in any actions that contradict its principles or the core humanitarian values at the heart of this treaty. The Kingdom stressed the importance of collective efforts to fully implement the Action Plan and the Siem Reap–Angkor Political Declaration in order to clear the remnants of conflict and build a peaceful future for humanity.

H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch reaffirmed Cambodia’s unwavering commitment to its mine action responsibilities, emphasizing that Cambodia’s programme is being carried out with transparency, professionalism, and full compliance with its treaty obligations — ultimately strengthening confidence among States Parties. This approach has helped Cambodia earn recognition as a global leader in mine clearance, information management, and long-term support for survivors.

The Deputy Prime Minister further underscored that Cambodia remains fully committed to the goals of the Convention. The Kingdom will continue to enhance national capacity, support mine victims, share expertise globally, and provide assistance to other mine-affected countries in accordance with their needs and requests.

His Excellency also acknowledged that, like Cambodia, some countries still face complex landmine challenges in border areas due to the legacy of past conflicts — posing ongoing risks to civilians and military personnel. Cambodia addressed similar challenges with a strong focus on mitigating humanitarian, socio-economic, and political impacts. The Kingdom chose to resolve these issues through cooperation, dialogue, and technical-based approaches to ensure safety and stability along border regions.