ANAMA: International donors fund only 5% of mine action in Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) has said that ANAMA is grateful to the government of Azerbaijan for funding humanitarian demining.

As much as 95 per cent of our budget is financed by the state, and only 5 per cent by international donors, said Deputy Chairman of the ANAMA Board Samir Poladov at the II International Technical Conference “Combating the Mine Threat: Innovations and Best Practices” in Baku, Report informs.

According to him, the liberated territories still pose a danger: “The reason is the large number of mines and ammunition in these territories. Roads, railway tracks, populated areas have been mined.”

Addressing the meeting, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Azerbaijan, Peter Michalko, said that the EU will support the professional training of female deminers.

“Today the Azerbaijani people are suffering from the threat of mines. Currently, the European Union remains Azerbaijan's most important partner in the field of mine clearance. We provide support to Azerbaijan in areas such as mine clearance education and assistance to mine victims. UNICEF also plays a big role in this area. The European Union supported ANAMA in training two women's mine clearance teams. We will continue to support the vocational training of women in this area, as well as the activities for demining the territories of Azerbaijan,” the EU ambassador noted.