DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Germany on Wednesday signed up to provide 1.5 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia for humanitarian demining operations in 2013 in two northwestern provinces.

The agreement was inked between German ambassador to Cambodia Wolfgang Moser and Prak Sokhonn, vice-president of Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, under the presence of Cambodian deputy Prime Minister Sok An, minister in charge of the Council of Ministers.

Speaking at the event, Prak Sokhonn said the grant aid will be used to support humanitarian demining operations in Siem Reap and Oddar Meanchey provinces for 2013. "With the amount of aid, the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) will be able to clear about 920 hectares of landmines for about 950 households," he said.

"We are deeply grateful for the continued assistance that Germany has extended to mine clearance work in Cambodia, which helps save lives of our citizens and promote socioeconomic development and poverty reduction," he said, adding that since 1999 to now, Germany has provided more than 15 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia to support CMAC's demining operations.

Wolfgang Moser said that it is all known that vast areas of Cambodia belong to the most mine-polluted areas on this earth and Germany is proud to contribute to helping the country in demining operations.

"The aid comes out of the excellent spirit of friendship and cooperation between Germany and Cambodia," he said.

Cambodia is one of the world's worst countries suffered from mines and unexploded ordnances (UXOs) as the results of nearly three decades of war and internal conflicts from the mid 1960s until the end of 1998.

An estimated 4 to 6 million land mines and other munitions left over from the conflicts. To date, a half of them have been cleared.

The country sets its goal to completely eliminate land mines and UXOs in the next 10 years. By doing so, it needs about 30 million U.S. dollars a year.

"Financial resources needed to fulfill this task will still be our biggest obstacle," Prak Sokhonn said.

A government report showed that since 1979 to 2012, a total of 64,202 land mine and UXO casualties were recorded. Of the casualties, 19,662 people were killed, 35,640 were injured and 8, 900 were amputated.