Koh Kong:Nearly 198,000 square meters of previously mine-contaminated land in Koh Pao village, Pak Khlang commune, Koh Kong province, have been handed over to the local community following successful clearance under the Quick Impact Project (QIP) 'Landmine Clearance in Koh Pao Village, Pak Khlang Commune, Koh Kong Province of Cambodia.'
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the handover ceremony was held in Koh Kong province on October 1 and was jointly presided over by H.E. Tep Kallyan, Deputy Secretary General of the Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA); H.E. Y Nearynet, Deputy Governor of Koh Kong Province; and Dr. Tanu Priya, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of India.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the CMAA, local authorities, officials, and community representatives. Under the QIP, approximately 197,810 square meters of mine-contaminated land were cleared, directly benefiting around 134 families. This cleared land will provide the community with safe access for livelihoods, farming, housing, and other socioeconomic activities.
The project reflects India's longstanding support for Cambodia's humanitarian mine-action efforts. Since the early 1990s, India has cooperated with Cambodia through technical assistance, capacity building and training, the provision of demining equipment, mine-detection dogs, support for mine victims, and grants for humanitarian demining.
India's cooperation in mine action has further expanded under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Quick Impact Projects framework. To date, India has approved 75 QIPs in Cambodia, of which 55 have been completed and 20 are at various stages of implementation. These projects cover priority areas including education, health, sanitation, agriculture, women's empowerment, and humanitarian mine action, aligning with Cambodia's development priorities.
The Embassy of India expressed its appreciation to the CMAA, demining personnel, local authorities, and other partners for their cooperation in the successful implementation of the project.