Siem reap: Decades of mine action cooperation between the United States and Cambodia have successfully transformed hazardous terrain into safe, productive land for local communities, official sources said.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, during a recent visit to Siem Reap province, Ms. Aleks Zittle, Charge d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia, met with operational teams from The HALO Trust to review ongoing U.S.-funded de-mining projects.

Ms. Zittle stated that the United States has invested more than US$52 million in HALO Trust missions across Cambodia since 2000. This sustained partnership has cleared nearly 2,800 minefields, destroyed more than 142,000 explosive remnants of war (ERW), and released over 227 square kilometres of land-an area roughly the size of Washington, D.C.-back to local families for agriculture and economic development.

She noted that the initiative underscores the enduring strength of the U.S.-Cambodia partnership and demonstrates what both nations can accomplish through close cooperation.