BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 3. Azerbaijan ranks among the top 10 countries with a mine problem in the world, President of the International Eurasian Press Fund and Chairman of the Public Council under the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) Umud Mirzayev told reporters today, TurkicWorld reports.
According to him, by the decision of the United Nations, April 4 is marked annually as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
"There are more than 1.5 million mines in the country. This significantly complicates the implementation of the Great Return Program, the safe return of former internally displaced persons to their homelands, as well as the construction of new settlements and infrastructure projects," he delineated.
Mirzayev noted that the mine problem is not only a political issue but primarily a human and humanitarian problem.
"This is a global challenge related to human life, security, and the welfare of future generations. Even if the war ends, mines will continue to endanger people's lives for decades. The UN also assesses this threat as a global humanitarian issue.
Therefore, the world community must demonstrate a unified position in solving the problem, and international organizations, donor agencies, and human rights institutions must show solidarity in this direction. Unfortunately, global powers and the world leave Azerbaijan alone in solving this problem and do not provide support.
After the Second Karabakh War, approximately 260,000 hectares of land in Azerbaijan have been cleared of mines. Although this is an important result, considering the total volume of contaminated areas, it is clear that there is still much work to be done," he added.
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