The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Iraq welcomes a generous contribution from the People's Republic of China through the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund – Peace and Security Sub-Fund. This first-ever contribution from China will support UNMAS endeavors in strengthening sustainable national mine action capacity in Iraq, helping to protect civilians from the threat of explosive ordnance (EO), and to facilitate socio-economic and reconstruction efforts in EO-affected areas.
Iraq is one of the world’s most heavily contaminated countries in EO items. The Iraqi national mine action authorities, namely the Directorate for Mine Action (DMA) and the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA), estimate that over 2,723 square kilometers of land are contaminated due to the successive conflicts that have spanned more than 40 years. The presence of EO continues to endanger the lives of girls, women, boys, and men and hinders access to public safety, livelihood opportunities, and critical infrastructure.
With this contribution from China along with continued multi-donor support, UNMAS Iraq remains committed to promoting a sustainable national mine action response through specialized capacity-building initiatives tailored to personnel in the mine action sector, as well as by implementing and managing survey and clearance operations in Iraq’s most vulnerable and EO-contaminated areas.
On this occasion, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Iraq commented “As a former victim, China empathizes with the humanitarian concerns caused by landmines, ERWs and IEDs, attaches great importance to international cooperation on demining, and takes cooperation and assistance on Humanitarian Mine Action as an important step for building a community with a shared future for mankind and implementing the Global Security Initiative. We will continue to rigorously fulfill relevant international obligations and provide assistance where we can to Iraq and other developing countries and people who have been affected. We stand ready to work with the international community and play a constructive role in addressing the security and humanitarian risks caused by the indiscriminate use of conventional weapons, including landmines.”, H.E. Mr. Cui We.i
“This contribution from China represents a valuable step toward continuing to strengthen Iraq’s national mine action capacity, protecting civilians from the dangers of explosive ordnance, and advancing development efforts in affected communities. We are grateful for China’s partnership and commitment to advancing peace, security, and stability.”said Lina Moreno, OiC Chief of the UN Mine Action Programme in Iraq.
Contact
Lina Moreno, UNMAS OiC Chief Mine Action Programme, Iraq lina.morenolegast@un.org