Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN mine action experts briefed reporters on the programme’s operations in Ukraine and Afghanistan. UNMAS chief Kazumi Ogawa reiterated, “when UNMAS can do its job, it is to save lives.”
Kazumi Ogawa, Director of UNMAS, Nick Pond, Chief of Mine Action Section for UNAMA and Paul Heslop, UNMAS Special Adviser to the Resident Coordinator and United Nations Country Team in Ukraine briefed reporters ahead of the the International Day International Day for Mine Awareness (4 Apr).
Speaking to reporters via video link from Kabul, Nick Pond, Chief of Mine Action Section for UNAMA said, “Afghanistan has the third highest explosive ordnance casualty rates in the world, with around 50 people killed or injured every month, of which almost 80 percent are children.”
“That means there’s at least one casualty every single day,” he highlighted, adding “90 percent of these casualties are from unexploded ordnance and abandoned munitions that have been left behind after over 40 years of conflict.”
He explained that most of these casualties are boys, typically killed or injured when tampering with ordnance that they find when tending animals or playing.
Pond pointed out that the biggest challenge faced by the sector is the lack of funding, “reduced support for a country that sits way down the list of global humanitarian priorities, governed by a de facto authority that is not internationally recognized, has reduced the number of de-miners delivering clearance, risk education and victim assistance from around 15,000 in 2011 down to 1,300 this month.”
He continued, “coupled with almost 2.8 million returnees from neighboring countries last year, earthquakes, floods and an ongoing conflict with Pakistan, These are exceptionally challenging times for the Afghan people.”
Pond also emphasized that there’s much opportunity for mine action in Afghanistan.
He said, “this is the birthplace of humanitarian demining, and a depth of expertise exists within the national and international NGOs. The de facto authorities are supportive of the sector, and improved security situation means that access is possible across most of the country, and Afghanistan is a signatory to all international demining conventions.”
Pond highlighted, “with increased funding, there is a very real opportunity to free this country from contamination, allowing Afghan people to restore their livelihoods unhindered by the remnants of war.”
Bank in New York, UNMAS expert Paul Heslop told reporters that in Ukraine, the impact of unexploded ordnance have been “bad enough” – about 11 billion US dollars impact a year to the Ukrainian economy from the presence of mines, a reduction in between 3 and 5 percent of GDP growth, and the effects of global energy prices and more importantly, still effects of global food prices and food security.”
He added, “what we’re now seeing in the Iranian conflict is an even bigger consequence in terms of global energy prices. You know, and what will be what is the impact of having a 100 million US dollars tanker with 300 million dollars of crude oil in it and being sunk? There’s not just the economic consequence of that. There will be environmental consequences, there’s the loss of confidence and the increase in oil prices.”
Heslop also pointed that that there are over 60,000 war amputees in Ukraine, most of them men between the age of 25 and 55.
He said, “what’s going to happen when they come home? They’re going to need to find jobs. They’re going to need retraining.”
There is also added dimension on the responsibility of caring for the war amputees – which will probably fall onto their mothers, their wives, their girlfriends, their sisters, their daughters. Heslop said, “what are we doing now to help prepare those women for the trauma they’re going to have to deal with when veterans, heroes return home with shattered bodies and try and start to rebuild their lives.”
The UNMAS expert reiterated that mine actions is not just about “walking forward and cutting the red wire or the blue wire, but it’s what are the consequences of this? How do we make it work? How can we make a difference?”
Heslop also mentioned that new technologies that have been proven and trialed in in Ukraine at the moment. He said, “we developed a system with the state emergency services where over 30,000km² of land were assessed using satellite imagery, drone imagery with AI and human data analytics. That’s 30,000,000,000m² of land, was returned safely at a cost of around 100,000 US dollars,” he added.
He continued, “we’re seeing new sensors that can be mounted on drones. We’ve seen underwater robotics. We’re seeing demining robotic dogs that can go out and search areas safely,” reiterating that “all of these require investment. But that investment in the technology in Ukraine can be then replicated.”