UNICEF coordinator: Death toll from mines in Azerbaijan is very high

The death toll from mine explosions in Azerbaijan is very high, especially given the population of this country, UNICEF representative Hugues Laurenge said at an international conference on "Mine Action – The Path to Reaching Sustainable Development Goals" in Baku, Report informs.

He spoke about cooperation with the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA): "It is very important to clear mines in Azerbaijan without loss of life, but for this, it is necessary to invest enough. In addition, every citizen must be aware of the dangers and risks posed by mines. Moreover, it is necessary to contribute to the establishment of peace through education."

Azerbaijan is among the most mine-affected countries in the world, with over 1.5 million landmines laid during the occupation period. The mine threat faced by Azerbaijan can be compared to the horrors caused by mass destruction weapons.

Overall, nearly 3,400 Azerbaijani citizens have been affected by mines since the start of Armenia's military aggression, with 587 losing their lives. Since the 44-day war, 302 Azerbaijani citizens have become victims of mines (57 killed, 245 injured).

Even after the conflict ended, Armenia continued to lay mines in Azerbaijani territories, using the Lachin corridor. More than 2,700 Armenian-made anti-personnel mines have been discovered in the Azerbaijani territory in 2021 alone, following the 44-day war.

Humanitarian mine action is one of the main priorities of Azerbaijan's state policy. Today, mine action in Azerbaijan is carried out using the most modern and advanced technologies available worldwide. Over 90% of Azerbaijan's mine action activities are conducted using internal resources, while external support is still limited.

The discussions to be held within the framework of the international conference on the topic "Mine Action - a Path to Sustainable Development" will contribute to the joint efforts in the field of mine action and pave the way for new ideas and initiatives for resolving the problem at the global level.

The first day of the conference was held on May 25 in the Aghdam city. The conference participants took part in a panel discussion. During the trip, the guests got acquainted with the construction and restoration works in Aghdam city.

About 190 officials representing 51 countries, including former heads of state and government, members of parliaments of a number of countries, senior staff of the UN headquarters, influential organizations conducting mine clearance work, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan, arrived to participate in the second International Conference on “Mine Action- the path to reaching sustainable development goals” organized by the Azerbaijan Republic.