The Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan and the joint statement which will be issued at the upcoming November mine-action summit in Siem Reap will serve as a blueprint for future efforts to pave the way for an ambitious and achievable future, said Ly Thuch, president of the Ottawa Convention 2024, as he addressed a June 18 meeting of the convention members in Geneva, Switzerland.

Thuch, who also serves as first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA), is in Switzerland until June 20 for a mid-term meeting to finalise preparations for the 5th Review Meeting of the Ottawa Convention, also known as the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine-Free World.

While addressing the meeting participants, he explained that the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Anti-Personnel Mines, or the Ottawa Convention, is more than a legal document. It represents the light of hope and dignity of all human beings, and the signatories’ relentless efforts to rid the world of the hidden assassins, which bring unimaginable pain to countless lives.

“The Ottawa Convention demonstrates the unity of humanity and the shared commitment to creating a safe and compassionate world. Every step we take, the mines we clear, the survivors we help, is a testament to our shared commitment,” he said. 

He added that this summit will be far more than a procedural gathering; it will provide an opportunity to share wisdom, create solutions and strengthen the participants’ commitment to preventing the use of and clearing anti-personnel mines.

"The Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan and the Political Statement will serve as a blueprint for future efforts through unity and cooperation. It will pave the way for the ambitious and achievable road ahead,” he continued.

He expressed his belief that the holding of the summit in Siem Reap, the site of the demining declaration, was a testament to the victory of the members’ joint commitment to the struggle to clear mines.