Director for South-East Asia and Pacific, Charles Hay is visiting Cambodia to see the positive impact of the UK’s Global Mine Action Programme
FCDO Director for South-East Asia and Pacific, Charles Hay MVO is visiting Cambodia this week to see the positive impact of the UK’s Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP) on communities in Cambodia.
During a field visit to HALO Trust operations at Kulen Mountain, Siem Reap province on 12 May 2025, Hay saw first-hand the clearance operations and met with local beneficiaries whose communities have been made safer and more prosperous through the UK’s long-standing support for mine action.
Director for South-East Asia and Pacific, Charles Hay MVO said, “Meeting with local communities in Kulen Mountain, I’ve seen how our Global Mine Action Programme is transforming lives across Cambodia. Fields once deadly with explosives are now productive farmland where children play safely. The bravery of HALO Trust’s deminers is extraordinary – their meticulous work under challenging conditions is making Cambodia’s 2030 mine-free goal achievable. Our programme is delivering real results, having already cleared over 151 million square metres of contaminated land. As one of Cambodia’s longest-established mine-action partners, we’ve seen clearly Cambodia’s evolution from recipient to partner -it is impressive to see Cambodia today sharing its deep expertise with demining operations worldwide, including Ukraine. This exemplifies the sustainable impact of our long-standing partnership.”
The UK Global Mine Action Programme has cleared, confirmed safe and released over 151 million square metres of land in Cambodia since 2014. The programme has also delivered risk education to 481,440 people living in mine-affected communities. Since 1993, the UK has invested approximately £60 million in Cambodia’s demining efforts, helping to clear over 65,000 anti-personnel mines and benefiting more than 600,000 people. Under the current GMAP programme, operations will continue with existing funding of US $2.9million in 2025/2026.
The visit included strategic meetings with Senior Minister Ly Thuch, Vice President of Cambodia Mine Action Authority and Lieutenant Uch Vantha, Deputy Chief of Army of Royal Cambodia Army to enhance coordination on clearance priorities within the existing GMAP framework. These discussions focused on strengthening partnerships between HALO Trust and Cambodian authorities to maximise the impact of ongoing efforts.
The UK is also an effective advocate for innovative finance mechanisms that bring additional funding into the demining sector and transform post-conflict land into productive farmland. Since 2023, the UK has been supporting the $1.8 million (£1.395 million) Mine Action Development Impact Bond ‘Minefields to Rice Fields’, led by APOPO and its partners. The project successfully released over 7.6 million square meters of land in Preah Vihear Province, removing 445 anti-personnel mines and 184 explosive remnants of war, benefiting 2610 people.
The Mine fields to Rice fields project stands as a powerful example of how strategic demining and sustainable agriculture can work hand in hand to create lasting economic and social impact in post-conflict regions. FCDO and APOPO are currently looking for additional investors to sustain the project beyond 2026.
As one of the founding signatories to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, the UK continues as a leading partner in Cambodia’s journey toward becoming mine-free by 2030.
The demining sector has created thousands of jobs for Cambodians, including empowering women in both demining and management positions, and creating opportunities for staff with disabilities, including landmine victims.
