This year has seen global conflicts that are significantly more widespread and more intense than conflicts of the previous decade. As a result, there has been a surge in demand for the United Nations Mine Action Service, or UNMAS, according to the U.N. Be it Gaza or Lebanon, Sudan, Syria or Ukraine, explosive remnants of war are creating enormous problems.
So, for example, the current war in Sudan has rolled back gains in the clearance of explosive left over from civil wars going back half a century. Now Sudan is dealing with entirely new contamination across the country.
In Syria, thirteen years of armed conflict the armed conflict as well as the most recent push to oust the Assad regime have resulted in large quantities of abandoned munitions and unexploded ordnance on the roads.
Then there is Ukraine. By many estimates, some 5 to 10 percent of the country's area will need to be cleared of explosive remnants of war.
“Every single day, mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices destroy lives and livelihoods. On average, one person is killed or injured by these weapons every single hour,” said U.S. Representative to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
“The heroic work undertaken by the UN Mine Action Service and its implementing partners is nothing short of transformative,” she said.
“Alongside NGOs, other UN entities, and the humanitarian mine action community, UNMAS provides education, threat assessments, and removal of these deadly weapons, ensuring that people, including humanitarian workers and peacekeepers, can travel safely even in the most dangerous of environments.”
“The United States is proud to support UNMAS, including by providing free expert Explosive Ordnance Disposal officers to serve in the organization,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. We also stand behind “General Assembly Resolution 79/1 [which] affirmed that Member States will take steps to promote all relevant aspects of mine action.”
“The United States stands behind this resolution, which emphasizes the crucial role of mine action in reducing the human cost of weapons and highlights the relevance of mine action in Member State deliberations on A New Agenda for Peace.”
“The United States believes that mine action should be reflected throughout the life cycle of peace operations: from the earliest stages of planning to drawdown and withdrawal,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield.
“Every hour, someone loses life or limb to a mine. Together, we can prevent this tragedy and create a safer world for us all.”
