The Chinese government granted $4.4 million to support Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC)’s mine clearance work amid the suspension of U.S. aid, however, the funds cannot cover all halted projects, leaving many deminers in financial hardship. While civil society groups warn of broader impacts, they are surveying the effects which will be compiled and submitted in a letter to the U.S. government.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order to halt foreign aid has had a widespread impact, affecting the private sector, civil society organizations and the government.
CMAC, a leading demining organization in Cambodia, has long relied on international assistance to carry out mine clearance operations across the country. The U.S. government, through its Weapons Removal and Abatement (WRA) program under the Department of State, approved a total of $6.4 million for CMAC from 2022 to 2025.
However, the result from a halt to U.S. aid programs has resulted in the suspension of approximately 200 CMAC technical experts who were supported by the fund.
Chinese, Japanese Govt Step In
Despite new funding from China and Japan, the suspension of U.S. aid has left many deminers in distress, whose salaries were used to repay loans taken for building homes.
CMAC Director-General Heng Ratana said the organization has yet to find a solution for those impacted, as it awaits further clarification from USAID, a significant funding partner.
“The new assistance by China and Japan happened to arrive at a time when the U.S. suspended its project, but these grants cannot replace the suspended program,” Ratana told CamboJA News. “We are willing to wait because USAID is an important partner.”
On February 5, the Chinese government allocated $4.4 million to support Cambodia’s demining efforts in seven provinces for one year (March 2025 – February 2026).The funding will also support more than 400 CMAC technical experts.
The Chinese aid marks the third consecutive year under the“China-Aided Cambodia Landmine Elimination Project”, bringing their total contribution to Cambodia to $13.2 million from March 2023 to February 2026.
Japan provided financial assistance under its Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects framework. The government pledged $1.3 million to Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS) to implement two projects – Promoting Reconstruction Support with Demining in Banteay Meanchey, and Promoting Reconstruction Support with Cluster Munitions Disposal in Stung Treng.
Additionally, CMAC received a grant from JMAS totaling $346,416 for a 12-month landmine clearance project in Banteay Meanchey and a cluster munitions clearance project in Stung Treng (February 5, 2025 – February 4, 2026).
Ratana reiterated that while the new grants help sustain ongoing demining projects, they cannot cover the salaries of the suspended U.S.-funded deminers.
“This is an existing project with already designated experts,” he said.
CSOs Survey U.S. Aid Freeze Impact
Following the U.S. foreign aid suspension, Soeung Saroeun, executive director of NGO Forum, told CamboJA News that civil society groups are conducting a survey to assess the impact on communities and CSOs. The survey, coordinated by the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia (CCC) with participation from various member CSOs, will form the basis of a letter to the U.S. government addressing the consequences of the freeze.
In recent days, thousands of protesters across the U.S. rallied against Trump as part of the “50 Protests in 50 States” movement. Demonstrators gathered outside state capitols on Wednesday, condemning his executive orders as a threat to democracy. Meanwhile, protests in Washington, D.C., targeted Trump and Elon Musk over the closure of USAID.
Saroeun emphasized that civil society groups are also seeking solutions to mitigate the fallout for suspended employees.
“Some NGO Forum members are facing serious challenges,” he said. “The funding was cut abruptly, and we are left wondering – where do we find the money to pay salaries? Terminating employees without proper discussion violates labor laws, disrupts internal structures, and strains institutional relationships.”
He added that the impact extends beyond NGOs, affecting the government and private sector. Many projects funded by the U.S. aid helped reduce national budget expenditures and supported key state initiatives.
“This is a complex issue—not just for civil societies but for the government and the people,” Saroeun said. “We need to work together to bridge the gaps and rebuild ties with the U.S. to explore new opportunities for aid, financing, trade and diplomacy.”
Government spokesperson Pen Bona acknowledged that some government projects previously supported by USAID would be affected. However, he maintained that Cambodia’s overall development progress would not be hindered, adding that the government is actively seeking new partners to compensate for the loss of funding.
