Dear colleagues, dear guests,
I am honored to welcome you to the second annual meeting of the Mine Action Support Group to review the advancements in humanitarian mine action efforts since our previous gathering in June in Geneva.
Let me extend my thanks to the DPO for his attendance and all the distinguished speakers from UN agencies. I am confident their insights will provide us with the latest updates and figures in our collaborative efforts for humanitarian demining.
Italy believes that the MASG serves as a pivotal platform, bringing together major donor countries committed to humanitarian demining. In a world increasingly marked by conflict and crisis, our shared determination to address the devastating impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war takes on greater urgency.
As we gather here, the global landscape remains fraught with challenges. The recent escalations in violence in Gaza and the Middle East have resulted in heightened risks from explosive remnants. Ukraine tragically remains the most heavily mined country in the world, with almost a quarter of its territory potentially contaminated by mines and other explosive ordnance. Similarly, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan—which we will discuss today—grapple with the impacts of explosive remnants, affecting food security and the safe return of displaced persons.
Today’s meeting offers a crucial opportunity to further our discussions on humanitarian mine action. Before we proceed, allow me to share a few words about Italy’s commitment to mine action as an integral part of our emergency response planning.
Back in 2021, Italy set up a dedicated national trust fund for Humanitarian Demining, allowing the allocation of resources to mine action projects relating to anti-personnel landmines and explosive remnants of war.
Since then, Italy has invested more than 79 million euros in mine action programs, with a particular focus on clearance activities, risk education, and assistance to victims. Advocacy efforts are another important area of work for Italy, which is committed to promoting the universalization of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
In pursuing its mine action work, Italy collaborates with a wide range of partners, including NGOs, CSOs, and international and multilateral organizations. A recent example is the collaboration with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) for the development of Italy’s Humanitarian Mine Action Strategy 2023-2025.
It has been a privilege for Italy to lead this group over the past two years. We are confident that the next Presidency will continue this important work with equal dedication during their tenure as Chair.
I look forward to our discussions today.
Thank you.
