Egypt weighs support for Azerbaijan’s demining efforts in liberated lands

Azerbaijan and Egypt have explored prospects for cooperation in mitigating the mine threat across Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.

The matter was discussed during a meeting between Vugar Suleymanov, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA), and Egypt’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Houssam-Eldine Reda, Caliber.Az reports.

During the meeting, the ambassador received a comprehensive briefing on ANAMA’s mandate and objectives, the extent of mine and unexploded ordnance contamination in Azerbaijani lands, and the ongoing humanitarian demining operations being implemented under the Great Return program.

The parties also reviewed potential avenues for collaboration and the exchange of technical expertise in mine action, including possible support from Egypt in this crucial field.

Since the conclusion of the 2020 Second Karabakh War, landmines laid by Armenian forces have resulted in 412 casualties in Azerbaijan, raising the total number of mine-related deaths and injuries in the country since the 1990s to over 3,400.

 As of October 2025, ANAMA has cleared approximately 140,000 hectares nationwide, yet large areas remain contaminated. Despite substantial government funding and the deployment of specialised units, including all-female demining teams, Azerbaijani authorities stress that international assistance is essential to completely eradicate the landmine threat.

By Vafa Guliyeva