In response to a request from the Royal Government of Cambodia and with a view to promote the socio-economic development of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Government of Japan has decided to extend its ODA Grant Aid of up to one billion and ninety-eight million yen (¥1,098,000,000), the equivalent of approximately US$12 million, to the Royal Government of Cambodia for the purpose of contributing to the implementation of the “Program for Integrated Mine Clearance and Landmine Victim Assistance”. The Eexchange of Notes for Japan’s ODA Grant Aid for the “Program for Integrated Mine Clearance and Landmine Victim Assistance” was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Mr. Kuroki Masafumi, Ambassador Eextraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia, on November 25. The Deputy Prime Minister said the US$12 million in grant aid will be spent on three projects, including US$93,500 for constructing a science laboratory at Kampong Cham Regional Teacher Training Center, US$94,800 for constructing a science laboratory at Battambang Regional Teacher Training Center, and S$160,179 for improving public health services in Kratie province. “Japan is a leading donor to Cambodia
and has provided a lot of humanitarian assistance and grant aid to the Royal Government of Cambodia
for developing and accelerating the social development and progress of Cambodia,” Namhong told reporters
after the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The Deputy Prime Minister added that Japan’s ODA Grant Aid will help the Royal Government of Cambodia in developing and promoting social development, health care, peace, and human resources in Cambodia in the future. Japanese Ambassador Kuroki Masafumi said that the objective of this program is to accelerate demining
activities and to contribute to rural development after demining KonGKea

in Battambang province from 2010-2012.

He added that the components of the program include the procure¬ment of five demining machines and other equipment necessary for mine clearance operations and financial support for Cambodia Mine Action Center’s (CMAC) demining work and victim assistance activities.
“As result of the program, ap¬proximately 1, 900 hectares of mine¬fields in Battambang province will be cleared of land mines and UXOs, and this output will constitute 17 percent of CMAC’s demining plan for 2010 to 2012,” he said. “After mine clearance, through victim as¬sistance projects, the fields will be utilized for agricultural development for local residents.”
The Ambassador stated that Ja¬pan has been supporting CMAC since 1999 with grant aid and tech¬nical cooperation totaling US$57 million. Based on CMAC’s data, from 1999 to June 2009, 28,330 square meters of land were cleared and 200,000 items of anti-personnel mines and UXOs were destroyed. Mine causalities have also signifi¬cantly decreased from 2,535 cases in 1993 to 200 cases in 2009.
He added that Japan has con¬tributed to the achievement of these results and will continue to assist Cambodia in its effort in demining activities to create a safe environ¬ment for the economic and social development of the Cambodian peo¬ple.

“I strongly believe that the assis¬tance from the people and the Gov¬ernment of Japan given today will help accelerate Cambodia’s eco¬nomic and social development, ben¬efiting all the people in the Kingdom of Cambodia,”