The year 2023 marks twenty-four years since the Anti-Personnel Landmine Convention came into force.
International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is held on 4 April every year. This year, the United Nations will mark this day under the theme “Mine Action Cannot Wait”. This year marks twenty-four years since the Anti-Personnel Landmine Convention came into force and while millions of landmines have been destroyed, 68 countries and territories globally still have an explosive remnant of war problem. Currently in BiH 865km2 remain mine suspected areas, constituting 1.7% of the country.
EUFOR Operation Althea input to Mine Awareness Day 2023
4 April is the International Day designated by the General Assembly to raise awareness and seek assistance for mine action. On this occasion
April 4th is the International Day designated by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness and seek assistance for mine action. On this occasion the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) is organizing a symposium on the theme "Mine Action Cannot Wait" to highlight decades of contamination in countries like Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and Viet Nam, as well as draw attention to recent explosive ordnance contamination in Myanmar, Ukraine, and Yemen.
Speakers will include the former Foreign Minister of Canada Mr. Lloyd Axworthy, who was instrumental in the creation of the Mine Ban Convention, former US Senator Mr. Patrick Leahy, a key player in funding mine action, the Permanent Representatives of Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Viet Nam, Under-Secretaries-General Fleming, Lacroix and Gamba, film director Richard Fitoussi, Global Advocate Giles Duley, International Crisis Group journalist Richard Gowan and many more.
Latest estimates show that in 2021, more than 5,500 people lost their lives or were injured due to landmines, with civilians, mostly children bearing the brunt of the devastation. Today, nearly 70 countries and territories are still contaminated by landmines. Every day, explosive ordnance contamination threatens lives, curtails freedom of movement, limits access to airable land, disenfranchises communities and above all instills fear and insecurity.
Focusing on the urgent need for a world free from the threat of landmines, explosive remnants of war (ERW) and IEDs, this global campaign aims to bring attention to areas of the world that remain contaminated, needlessly affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.
