The US is expected Thursday to donate $2.58 million to demining efforts in Cambodia, including its first cash contribution to the financially-troubled Cambodian Mine Action Center since financial scandals last year caused many donors to either freeze or scale back their funding of the country’s largest demining agency.
The money will be distributed through the UN Development Program not only to CMAC, but also Cambodia’s two other demining organizations HALO Trust and the Mine Advisory Group. The money has been earmarked for specific programs to avoid the misuse of funds that has plagued CMAC.
Since 1994 the US has provided a total of $19 million in cash and other donations to demining programs in Cambodia.
An additional $20 million has been given to support victim assistance programs here, according to an embassy statement.
An estimated 6 million to 9 million land mines still remain in Cambodian soil after nearly three decades of war.