Day: November 22, 2022

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Zapp, a High Performance Two-Wheel Electric Vehicle Company, to Become Publicly Traded via Business Combination with CIIG Capital Partners II

  • Zapp’s First Product, the i300 Performance City Bike, with its Carbon Composite Body, Delivers Premium Performance Capabilities to Urban Mobility Riders
  • Unique Charging Solution with Ultra-Lightweight (6kg) Portable Battery Pack that can be Charged via any Standard 220v/110v Wall Socket
  • Innovative Exoskeleton Architecture Integrates Zapp’s Design DNA, Provides Superior Performance Relative to Powered Two-Wheeler (“P2W”) Peers, Reduces Overall Components and Simplifies Manufacturing Assembly
  • Strategic Manufacturing Partnership with Summit Group Already in Place and at Start of Production
  • Asset-Light, Capital Efficient Business Model Aims to Achieve Near-Term Positive Free Cash Flow
  • Estimated Post-Transaction Enterprise Value of $573 Million with up to $274 Million in Net Cash to Fund Growth Assuming No Redemptions by CIIG II stockholders; No Minimum Cash Condition

NEW YORK and LONDON, Nov. 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CIIG Capital Partners II, Inc. (Nasdaq: CIIG) (“CIIG II”), a U.S. publicly-listed blank check company, and Zapp Electric Vehicles Limited (“Zapp” or the “Company”), a UK-based, high-performance two-wheel electric vehicle company, have entered into a definitive business combination agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company, Zapp Electric Vehicles Group Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company, is expected to list its ordinary shares on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “ZAPP”.

Zapp was founded in 2017 by a group of mobility experts with a vision and commitment to bring high-performance to urban mobility through original, advanced design with an emphasis on safety, quality, customer experience and full-cycle sustainability. Zapp’s first product to enter the market, the i300, has received widespread acclaim and consumer interest for its embodiment of these values.

Unlike other urban electric bikes, the i300 is built around an innovative exoskeleton architecture and is powered by an advanced British-designed electric motor, which enables it to match the acceleration of high-performance motorcycles in a step-through architecture. A lightweight alloy and composite bodywork allow for a slim total weight of just 108 kg (without battery packs). The i300’s interior permanent magnet electric motor and carbon fiber belt drive combine to drive acceleration from 0 to 30 mph (48km/h) in just 2.3 seconds and from 0 to 60 mph (97km/h) in 5.0 seconds.

The i300 utilizes ultra-portable lithium-ion battery packs weighing just 6 kg each. The battery packs can be charged from 20% to 80% via standard 220v/110v wall sockets in under 40 minutes. The portability of the battery packs makes the i300 easy to charge anywhere and at any time without reliance on a public charging network. The i300 is well-positioned to handle the average daily commute for urban drivers.

Zapp expects to implement a high-quality direct-to-customer experience called DSDTC (drop-ship-direct-to-customer). Once a customer places an online order, their selected model will be processed and conveniently delivered directly to their home by “Zappers,” who are independent service agents who perform deliveries in dedicated and purpose-designed plug-in hybrid service vans. Zappers also provide at-home inspection, service and support throughout the life of the vehicle. As part of Zapp’s full-stack e-commerce platform, customers are expected to have access to highly competitive leasing and insurance solutions.

Zapp also uses a Gen-2 sustainability design approach that requires fewer components and assembly steps and bodywork made from composites with green-to-make materials, with substantially all components being recyclable (or in the case of the battery packs, refurbished for a second use at end-of-life).

Zapp Investment Highlights

  • Large and Growing ~$130bn1 Global P2W Market: Strong organic and replacement demand for electrification in largely underpenetrated EV two-wheeler market provides an attractive opportunity for Zapp.
  • Innovator in High-Value EV “Urban Motorcycle” Category: Zapp is maximizing the benefits of EV technology through its creation of a new P2W category enabled by its ground-up design for an original and all-new vehicle architecture.
  • Portable and Powerful Battery Pack Technology: Zapp’s differentiated approach to battery packs addresses concerns with range anxiety and charging networks as its removable light weight battery packs can be charged via any standard 220v/110v wall sockets.
  • Highly Innovative Exoskeleton Architecture: Zapp’s innovative exoskeleton architecture lowers weight and creates simplified, efficient and low-cost assembly.
  • Low Capital Requirements Aiming to Achieve Near-Term Positive Free Cash Flow: Zapp has strategic partnerships with major Asian contract manufacturer Summit Group and receivables financing provider EXIM Bank.
  • Diversified and Experienced Management: The management team brings together proven entrepreneurs and professionals with deep domain expertise and thought leadership.

“Entering the public markets is an important milestone for Zapp and one we have been diligently working toward since our founding,” said Swin Chatsuwan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zapp. “Combining with CIIG II and becoming a publicly listed company will enable us to scale our business, increase production and fulfill demand for electrification in the largely underpenetrated electric two-wheel market.”

Gavin Cuneo, CIIG II Co-Chief Executive Officer, added: “The two-wheel category is large, growing and highly fragmented. As the world quickly moves toward electric mobility, we expect this segment will be a leader globally. We believe Zapp’s combination of high design with high performance will allow them to capture share and take advantage of this momentum. We look forward to completing our business combination and working with Zapp’s world-class team to help accelerate their mission to revolutionize electric mobility.”

Transaction Overview

The combined company will have an estimated fully-diluted post-transaction enterprise value of $573 million, consisting of an estimated equity value of $852 million, $274 million in new cash to the balance sheet (assuming no redemptions by CIIG II public stockholders), and $5 million in existing cash2.

Cash proceeds raised will consist of CIIG II’s approximately $294 million cash in trust, net of redemptions. With no minimum cash condition, the cash in the CIIG II trust account is anticipated to support the Company’s growth capital needs, including Zapp’s production, marketing and sales efforts.

It is intended that 100% of existing Zapp shareholders will roll over their equity and, assuming no redemptions and full rollover, own approximately 59% of the pro forma equity of the combined company in connection with the transaction. The business combination has been approved by the boards of directors of both Zapp and CIIG II and is expected to close in the first half of 2023, subject to stockholder approvals and other customary closing conditions.

For a summary of the material terms of the proposed transaction, as well as a supplemental investor presentation, please see the Current Report on Form 8-K filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Additional information about the proposed transaction will be described in CIIG II’s proxy statement relating to the business combination, which it will file with the SEC.

Advisors

SPAC Advisory Partners, a division of Kingswood Capital Partners, is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Zapp Electric Vehicles. Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as legal advisor to Zapp Electric Vehicles. Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP are serving as legal advisors to CIIG Capital Partners II. Gateway Group is serving as Global Investor Relations Advisor and Media Relations for North America. Influence Mobility is serving as Global Media Relations for Zapp Electric Vehicles.

Further Information On The Transaction

For further information on the proposed transaction, please visit ciigpartners.com or the investor section of zappev.com.

About CIIG Capital Partners II, Inc

CIIG Capital Partners II, Inc. is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. CIIG II’s units, Class A common stock and warrants trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbols “CIIGU,” “CIIG,” and “CIIGW” respectively.

About Zapp

Zapp Electric Vehicles Limited is a British company – run by a team of experts from the mobility industry – on a mission to redefine the electric two-wheeler segment. Launching its debut product in June 2022, Zapp created the i300 as an urban electric high-performance two-wheeler capable of traditional motorcycle levels of performance in a step-through format, combining ease of use with exhilaration and fun. The i300 is the first in a suite of high-performance electric two-wheelers expected to come to market from Zapp. Zapp is expected to operate a high-quality direct-to-customer (DTC) experience called DSDTC (drop-ship-direct-to-customer). Customers ordering the i300 online will have their bikes conveniently delivered to their home by “Zappers” who provide at-home inspection, service and support throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle.

Investor Relations Contact:
Gateway Investor Relations
Cody Slach, Ralf Esper
(949) 574-3860
zapp@gatewayir.com

North America Media Relations Contact:

Gateway PR
Zach Kadletz
(949) 574-3860
zapp@gatewayir.com

Global Media Relations Contact:

Influence
Nick Francis
+44 7767615115
pr@zappev.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws with respect to the proposed business combination (the “Business Combination”) between Zapp, CIIG II and Zapp Electric Vehicles Group Limited (“PubCo”), including statements regarding the benefits of the transaction, the anticipated timing of the transaction, the anticipated growth in the industry in which Zapp operates and anticipated growth in demand for Zapp’s products, projections of Zapp’s future financial results and possible growth opportunities for Zapp. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “budget,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this document, including but not limited to: (i) the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of CIIG II’s securities, (ii) the risk that the transaction may not be completed by CIIG II’s business combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the business combination deadline if sought by CIIG II, (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the transaction, including the adoption of the business combination agreement by the stockholders of CIIG II, (iv) the lack of a third party valuation in determining whether or not to pursue the proposed Business Combination, (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the business combination agreement, (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transaction on Zapp’s business relationships, performance, and business generally, (vii) risks that the proposed Business Combination disrupts current plans of Zapp or diverts management’s attention from Zapp’s ongoing business operations and potential difficulties in Zapp’s employee retention as a result of the proposed Business Combination, (viii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Zapp, PubCo, CIIG II or their respective directors or officers related to the proposed Business Combination, (ix) the ability of PubCo, CIIG II or a successor thereto to maintain the listing of its securities on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, (x) volatility in the price of the securities of PubCo, CIIG II or a successor thereto due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Zapp plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting Zapp’s business and changes in the combined capital structure, (xi) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the proposed Business Combination, and identify and realize additional opportunities, (xii) the risk of downturns in the highly competitive electric vehicle industry, (xiii) the ability of Zapp to build the Zapp brand and consumers’ recognition, acceptance and adoption of the Zapp brand, (xiv) the risk that Zapp may be unable to develop and manufacture electric vehicles of sufficient quality and on schedule and scale, that would appeal to a large customer base, (xv) the risk that Zapp has a limited operating history, has not yet released a commercially available electric vehicle and does not have experience manufacturing or selling a commercial product at scale and (xvi) the risk that Zapp may not be able to effectively manage its growth, including its design, research, development and maintenance capabilities.

The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of PubCo’s registration statement on Form F-4, the proxy statement/prospectus discussed below, CIIG II’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other documents filed by PubCo, CIIG II or a successor thereto from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this document represent the views of PubCo and CIIG II and Zapp as of the date of this document. Subsequent events and developments may cause that view to change. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and all forward-looking statements in this document are qualified by these cautionary statements. Zapp, PubCo and CIIG II assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. None of Zapp, PubCo nor CIIG II gives any assurance that Zapp, PubCo or CIIG II will achieve its expectations. The inclusion of any statement in this document does not constitute an admission by Zapp, PubCo or CIIG II or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This document relates to the proposed Business Combination between CIIG II, Pubco and Zapp. This document does not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange, any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act.

In connection with the Business Combination, PubCo intends to file a registration statement on Form F-4 (as may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”) including a preliminary proxy statement of CIIG II and a preliminary prospectus of PubCo, and after the Registration Statement is declared effective, CIIG II will mail a definitive proxy statement relating to the Business Combination to CIIG II’s stockholders. The Registration Statement, including the proxy statement/prospectus contained therein, when declared effective by the SEC, will contain important information about the Business Combination and the other matters to be voted upon at a meeting of CIIG II’s stockholders to be held to approve the Business Combination (and related matters). PubCo and CIIG II may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the Business Combination. CIIG II stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and the amendments thereto and the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed in connection with the Business Combination, as these materials will contain important information about Zapp, PubCo, CIIG II and the Business Combination.

When available, the definitive proxy statement and other relevant materials for the Business Combination will be mailed to CIIG II stockholders as of a record date to be established for voting on the Business Combination. Stockholders will also be able to obtain copies of the preliminary proxy statement, the definitive proxy statement and other documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by CIIG II through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, from CIIG II’s website at https://ciigpartners.com/ or by written request to CIIG II at 40 West 57th Street, 29th Floor, New York, New York 10019.

INVESTMENT IN ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SEC OR ANY OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY NOR HAS ANY AUTHORITY PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE OFFERING OR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

Participants in the Solicitation

CIIG II, Pubco and Zapp and their respective directors and officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from CIIG II’s stockholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of CIIG II’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transactions will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. You can find more information about CIIG II’s directors and executive officers in CIIG II’s final prospectus filed with the SEC on September 14, 2021. Additional information regarding the interests of those persons and other persons who may be deemed participants in the proposed Business Combination may be obtained by reading the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed Business Combination when it becomes available. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described in the preceding section.

No Offer or Solicitation

This document is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation to purchase any security of PubCo, Zapp, CIIG II or any of their respective affiliates. No such offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10 of the Securities Act, or an exemption therefrom. The contents of this document have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in any jurisdiction.

1Source: Fortune Business Insights. TAM figure includes internal combustion engine vehicles and represent 2022 figures.
2 Projected balance as of February 2023

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8701867

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Azerion acquires Radionomy and enters audio advertising market

Amsterdam, 22 November 2022 – Today, Azerion has announced the acquisition of Radionomy Group, a global pioneer in digital audio advertising and marketing solutions. With this acquisition, Azerion launches a new product in the realm of audio advertising, enabling clients and partners to expand their engagement with users. This acquisition will enhance Azerion’s ability to support advertisers and publishers with a complete suite of advertising products and further solidifies our entry into the US market.

Radionomy has a unique and proprietary adtech solution covering all aspects of digital audio ⎼ including radio, podcasts, audiobooks and games ⎼ and supporting in excess of 3 billion monthly impressions in over 30 markets worldwide. It is connected to a wide range of publishers with more than 15,000 audio channels in aggregate, providing meaningful scale to drive targeted and efficient advertising for advertisers.

Atilla Aytekin, co-CEO of Azerion, comments: “I am excited to add a new suite of audio advertising solutions to our product portfolio and offer more innovative ad formats, from digital radio to in-game audio, helping our advertisers and publishers achieve optimal advertising and monetisation results. As a company that strives to offer a complete set of products to our customers, it is important for us to stay at the forefront of the latest market trends. We are proud to be at the centre of this nascent innovative digital technology that we expect to develop further over the next few years across the United States, Europe, and beyond.”

Azerion has signed a binding transaction documentation relating to the sale of 100% of the issued and outstanding shares in the share capital of Radionomy Group B.V. from Targetspot SA, a company listed on Euronext Growth Paris and Brussels. The transaction perimeter includes Radionomy Group B.V. and all its subsidiaries and, as such, does not include Targetspot’s Winamp operations. Closing of the transaction is subject to certain conditions, including approval by Targetspot’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM), which will be held on 9 December 2022. Closing is expected before 31 December 2022.

The total consideration will be predominantly settled through Azerion shares, with the balance settled in cash. In total, 2,782,644 Azerion shares will be transferred to the selling shareholders at closing of the transaction and such Azerion shares equivalent to up to €3 million are to be granted in future, subject to certain earn-out conditions. Azerion’s shares currently held in treasury are sufficient to satisfy the share consideration. The balance that is payable in cash contains a payment at closing as well as deferred payments. Radionomy is expected to generate approximately €29 million to €30 million gross revenue in 2022.

Radionomy brings together the entire activity of Targetspot with its subsidiaries. The transaction thus involves the indirect disposal of all the subsidiaries of Radionomy Group B.V., the Targetspot and Shoutcast brands and all staff attached to the business.

About Azerion

Azerion is a high-growth digital entertainment and media platform. We entertain people through highly engaging content and we help advertisers reach any audience, at any scale, anywhere in the world in an easy way at a competitive price and in a highquality, curated content environment. Azerion’s integrated platform provides technology solutions to automate the purchase and sale of digital advertising for media buyers and sellers, supported by in-market sales and campaign management teams. Through our technology, content creators, digital publishers and advertisers work with Azerion to reach the hundreds of millions of people across the globe that play Azerion’s games and view its distributed entertainment content to increase engagement, loyalty, and drive e-commerce.

Founded in 2014 by two Dutch entrepreneurs, Azerion has experienced rapid expansion driven by organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Azerion is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and is a publicly traded company listed on Euronext Amsterdam. For more information visit: www.azerion.com.

About Targetspot

Targetspot has been a leader and pioneer in digital audio since 2007. Targetspot connects brands to their target audiences via an inventory of leading publishers across all areas of digital audio. Through its proprietary technologies, Targetspot provides end-to-end integration between advertisers and publishers, for contextually targeted, cookie-free campaigns involving both direct and programmatic buying.  Targetspot is also a leader in audio streaming, its Shoutcast brand enabling over 85,000 radio stations to be streamed online. Targetspot is operational in 9 countries and employs around 100 people worldwide.

Contact
Investor Relations
ir@azerion.com

Media
press@azerion.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000768180

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Landmark Global Declaration on Explosive Weapons

Eighty-two Countries Pledge to Avoid Use in Populated Areas

Stephen Goose
Executive Director, Arms Division

After three years of negotiations, 82 countries have adopted a political declaration that seeks to better protect civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The international pledge is the first to formally address the long-standing practice of using aircraft bombs, artillery, rockets, and missiles in villages, towns, and cities – the leading cause of civilian casualties in armed conflict.

Certain explosive weapons can maim and kill over a wide area due to their large blast and fragmentation radius, inaccuracy, or delivery of multiple munitions at the same time.

The declaration was endorsed at a high-level event in Dublin on Friday, hosted by Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney. Sharing the stage were the United Nations disarmament chief, Izumi Nakamitsu, the International Committee of the Red Cross president, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, and Laura Boillot, coordinator of the civil society umbrella group the International Network on Explosive Weapons, of which Human Rights Watch is a co-founder. Their organizations have spent the past decade urging governments to recognize and tackle the harm caused to civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

Many states whose civilians have suffered from explosive weapons in armed conflict endorsed the declaration, such as Cambodia, Central African Republic, and Palestine. It was also signed by producers and exporters of explosive weapons including France, South Korea, Turkey, and the United States. Twenty-four of NATO’s 30 member countries signed the declaration.

The declaration recognizes the direct physical harm and psychological injury caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas; it highlights how the damage caused to infrastructure can have a negative long-term impact on basic services such as education and health care; and it acknowledges that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas can harm the environment and drive displacement.

But the declaration goes further than simply urging better compliance with the laws of war by committing its signatories to adopt policies and practices that prevent and address harm. For example, they should take direct and indirect effects into account when planning and executing attacks, assist victims, collect and share data, and hold meetings to follow-up on implementation.

This declaration could play a valuable role in reducing the harm caused to civilians by explosive weapons, but strong interpretation and effective implementation will be crucial to ensuring its success. Governments should interpret and implement the declaration in a way that maximizes its goal: to protect civilian populations.

Source: Human Rights Watch

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Cambodia to Work with Thailand on Mine Clearance Along Border

AKP Phnom Penh, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has encouraged concerned officials to work closely with their Thai counterparts on mine clearance along the common border.

At the closing ceremony of the Conference Commemorating 30 Years of Mine Action in Cambodia, held here at Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre, Samdech Techo Hun Sen said there is no landmine along the Cambodia-Laos and Cambodia-Vietnam border, but some remain along the border with Thailand.

“I and H.E. Prayut Chan-o-cha (Prime Minister of Thailand) have recently agreed that we have to clear all landmines along the border of both nations,” he said.

Even though the borderline issue between the two countries has not yet fully settled, the first priority is to clear all landmines, the Cambodian Premier underlined.

According to Samdech Techo Hun Sen, some 40 square kilometres along the border remain contaminated with landmine and UXOs.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

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Commemorating three decades of UNDP work against the brutality of landmines

Mine action is more than just clearing contaminated land. It is about people and societies and their prospects for a dignified and prosperous life. Over the past three decades, UNDP and its partners have worked in over 50 countries to tackle the challenges posed by landmines, building institutional capacities, providing explosive ordnance risk education, victim assistance, and undertaking clearance operations.

In partnership with governments, civil society and the private sector, UNDP also delivers emergency jobs and safe livelihoods, and supports local recovery and development, through the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, implementation of reintegration plans, and rebuilding trust.

UNDP’s mine action work extends beyond conflict zones, and involves much more than clearing mines. Reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, mine awareness programmes and rebuilding of trust are crucial to rehabilitating communities that have been torn apart by the scourge of landmines and unexploded ordnance.

Mine action started in Cambodia in 1992
Mine action began in the Kingdom of Cambodia in 1992. Decades of regional and civil war had left the country with one of the high rates of unexploded ordnance in the world. Since 1979, there have been over 65,000 casualties, including nearly 20,000 deaths. The prevalence of mines, predominantly in rural and agricultural lands, has perpetuated poverty and impeded local development.

In Cambodia, landmines and unexploded ordnance resulting from decades of war have been claiming lives on a yearly basis, peaking at 4,320 deaths in 1992. Photos: Shutterstock (left and right), Shathel Fahs/MAG (center)

“I knew the forest had landmines,” said Samnang Art. The villager also knew the damage mines could do. He had lost a hand in a mine blast several years before as a soldier. Now without food for his family, he had no choice but to make the daily gamble to go into the woods. “We were so poor, and we needed the money from collecting firewood,” he said.

One day Samnang stepped on a landmine. “The memory has never left me of the day I lost my hand as a soldier, nor the day I lost also my leg. I felt so scared in the first accident but the second one was even more devastating,” he said.

Samnang had to carry on, despite the physical challenges, to continue taking care of his family. Landmines continued to dominate his life. His village had been a battleground during the conflict, and swathes of the surrounding area were heavily contaminated. Areas earmarked for infrastructure and agriculture could not be developed without first clearing the land.

“My land was contaminated so I could not cultivate it, and it is difficult for me to find work. My wife and daughter had to go to Thailand to do manual labour. Worst of all was knowing that people still had to go to collect timber or hunt in contaminated areas despite the risks. I hate mines and I hate war, but there was nothing I could do alone to rid our countryside of this legacy,” he said.

Cambodia has some of the highest global concentrations of anti-personnel mines, believed to have been planted during the Khmer Rouge era in the 1970s and the civil war that ended in 1998. Clearing the fields and villages have enabled communities to flourish once again, and agriculture to resume. Photos: Manuth Buth/UNDP Cambodia (left), Kimheang Tuon/UNDP Cambodia (right)

Clearing landmines is figuratively and literally clearing pathways for development. Over the past three decades, nearly 2,500 square kilometres of land were cleared in Cambodia. Eighty-two percent of the cleared land is used for agriculture and the remaining 18 percent for housing and infrastructure to restore basic social services.

As part of UN efforts, UNDP has been supporting Cambodia since mine action commenced in 1992. “Clearing for Results” is UNDP’s flagship project; it has since 2006 released over 300 square kilometres, destroyed over 75,000 mines and around 220,000 explosive remnants of war, benefiting over 1.1 million people.

As of June 2021, Cambodia’s mine action sector had cleared and released 2,221 square kilometres of contaminated land, destroyed 1,103,192 anti-personnel mines, 25,603 anti-tank mines, and 2,909,764 explosive remnants of war, including cluster munitions, that benefited 7,196,965 people. Photos: Manuth Buth/UNDP Cambodia.

UNDP has also been supporting victims. Toun Lay lost his leg in a mine incident. “You go from someone who can do everything to someone that can’t even stand up unaided,” he said. His family received support from partners and a self-help group in the village. Toun and his wife farmed, and soon produced enough vegetables to sell and save money to open a small grocery shop and send their children to school.

Much work remains to be done in Cambodia. Over 1 million people still live and work on land contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance. There is a US$168 million funding gap to clear the remaining 675 square kilometres of landmine contaminated land and ensure a mine-free Cambodia by 2025.

Barbaric use of mines continues around the world
Landmines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war are present in more than 60 countries, half of which are among the poorest countries in the world. Unbelievably, the use of landmines and cluster munitions continues today, most recently in Ukraine. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Ukrainian authorities estimate that more than 150,000 explosive devices have already been removed and destroyed since March 2022, but there are millions more.

Since the beginning of the war, hundreds of Ukrainian civilians have been killed, injured or maimed due to accidents involving explosive ordnance. “It is terrifying to bring kids here. We have no idea what the situation at the playground is. There are many more locations where shells and mines are being found,” said Oleksandr Krushynskii, a resident of the town of Bucha.

Accidents involving farmers that are trying to get back to their land – until recently under Russian control – are becoming increasingly common. “The challenge we are now facing is the demining of the surrounding forests and fields,” said Taras Dumenko, the head of the local administration in Hostomel.

UNDP mine action in Kyiv Oblast began in May 2022 and is ongoing. It will provide safe access to more than 1 million people. “The project in towns around Kyiv supports demining efforts and debris removal. The priority is to enable the safe return of civilians,” said Oleksandr Sushchenko, Team leader for Energy and Environment with UNDP Ukraine.

Even as large-scale damage continues to threaten decades of human and economic development in Ukraine, mine action plays an essential role in laying the foundations of a lasting recovery, allowing for safe mobility and a faster return of agricultural fields to productive use. Any economic activity to return these lands to productivity will have to take this into account.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in April that in Ukraine; “The legacy of a single month of war – in the form of unexploded ordnance, landmines and cluster munitions – will take decades to tackle, threatening lives long after the guns fall silent.”

Under the global coordination of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), UNDP will strengthen national ownership and build new partnerships to deliver the development benefits of mine action and to build resilient communities in Cambodia, Ukraine and around the world.

In a specially recorded video for events to mark 30 years of mine action in Cambodia, UN Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards Daniel Craig said, “Cambodia has shown that we can overcome the legacy of these deadly killers. But it is a hard path and one which we must all walk together to see an end to the brutality of landmines and explosive ordnance and ensure that we leave no one behind.”

For the Cambodian farmer, Samnang Art, survivor of two landmine explosions, mine action has been transformational since it reached his village. He said; “Demining operators spent time and energy with their staff and donors spent money on clearing my village. Everything is different now. Now we are liberated, and now I feel free.”

Source: UN Development Programme

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