Donor fatigue guts demining in Asia, as active conflicts draw away funding

Donor fatigue is crippling demining efforts in Asia, as active conflicts divert funding away from the cause. En Poy, a Cambodian deminer, lost his arm and an eye to a landmine blast while clearing a former Khmer Rouge stronghold. He now works to educate others about the dangers of unexploded ordnance, but fears that without continued international support, the work will be left unfinished, putting communities at risk of injury and hindering development.

The Vietnam War left a legacy of landmines across Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, with Cambodia being one of the world's most heavily mined countries. Despite being one of the world's most landmine-ridden nations, Cambodia's demining progress is hampered by a lack of funding. Foreign aid now accounts for most of the $4.3 billion spent on humanitarian demining from 2020 to 2024, with the U.S. being a major contributor.

However, recent conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan have drawn funding away from Southeast Asia. Germany is also considering cutting foreign aid to prioritize defense spending and military support to Ukraine, further straining demining resources.