UNDP: Mines hamper safe return of Azerbaijani IDPs

Acting Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Azerbaijan Nuno Queiros has said that landmines and other explosive ordnance hamper the Azerbaijani internally displaced people (IDPs) from safely returning to their houses and farmland.

Queiros made the remarks at a conference on demining in Shusha on February 7, Report informs.

“Thereby, the IDPs are deprived of the opportunity to restore their lives. That is why humanitarian demining is a very important part of UNDP cooperation with Azerbaijan and one of the main priorities that we share and work on together with the Azerbaijani government,” he said.

The UNDP acting resident representative noted that UNDP is proud of its long-term partnership with the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA).

Queiros added that UNDP intends to continue supporting ANAMA in training, equipping and deploying emergency response teams to detect and destroy mines and unexploded ordnance.