"Mine can be made for as little as USD 1, but it costs thousands of dollars to clean it safely," UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan Vladanka Andreeva said at the II International Conference on "Mine Action - The Path to Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals" held in Ağdam, APA reports.
She noted that the landmine problem, which threatens people's lives, health and well-being, currently exists in more than 60 countries, and women and children suffer the most from this problem.
Vladanka Andreeva added that only in 2022, 5,544 people were killed or disabled as a result of the explosion of these dangerous devices.
She emphasized that the situation in Azerbaijan is very disappointing: "Since 1991, a total of 3,377 people, including 358 children and 38 women, have tragically fallen victim to landmines. Just in the last two years, 55 people lost their precious lives, and in addition, 244 people were seriously injured."
Vladanka Andreeva said that the spread of mine-contaminated areas in Azerbaijan up to several thousand square kilometers clearly shows the urgency of solving this problem.
"Until these areas are cleared of mines, it will be impossible for refugees and IDPs to return. In addition, mines will prevent the construction of necessary infrastructure, the construction of roads and the use of agricultural land," said Vladanka Andreeva.
Habil Aslanoglu
Said Babazadeh
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