UN-Habitat praises Azerbaijan’s homegrown mine-clearance drive

Azerbaijan’s government is independently conducting more than 95% of the country’s mine-clearance operations, an approach that could serve as an important example for other countries, Erfan Ali, director of the UN-Habitat Regional Office, told journalists on the margins of the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku.

Ali described mine contamination as a major challenge that also places significant responsibility on Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

According to the UN-Habitat official, more than 3,000 hectares of land have already been cleared of mines through the efforts of the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) under the government’s leadership.

“It is particularly important that the government independently carries out more than 95-96% of all mine clearance work. This is an extremely significant signal and a lesson that other countries could adopt, given the ambitious goals and scale of Azerbaijan’s efforts,” Ali said.

He stressed that large-scale mine-clearance operations are crucial for the subsequent reconstruction and development of Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.

Ali added that the country’s experience demonstrates the importance of strong government leadership and national ownership in addressing the long-term humanitarian and development challenges posed by mine contamination.

By Vafa Guliyeva