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land in the countryside, a top UN official in Somalia said today, while expressing
grave concern over the safety of civilian populations exposed to Improvised
Explosive Devices (IEDs).
“Each year, 75 children are killed or injured by mines and explosive remnants of
war in this country. And the impact on lives and livelihoods therefore is
devastating. Many many more people are killed through these Improvised
Explosive Devices along Somalia’s roads and across its cities; and we ofcourse
recall the horror of the 14th October terrible explosion. It’s not just the worst in
Somalia’s history, but it’s also one of the worst on this continent,” said De Clercq.
The UN official was speaking at an event to mark the International Day for Mine
Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, in the capital Mogadishu. This year’s
theme “The role of Mine Action in advancing protection, Peace and
Development”, underscores the importance of establishing national mine-action
capacities, in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a
serious threat to the safety, health and lives of civilian populations.
IEDs remain the deadliest threat to lives in Somalia, having killed and injured over
1,400 civilians in the last year, according to the United Nations Mine Action
Service (UNMAS). The gravity of the problem has negatively impacted on
Somalia’s socio-economic development, and is highlighted by the country’s
National Development Plan 2017-2019 as an impediment to growth and
development.
“Scaling up the Mine Action programme can play a key role in providing jobs in
rural areas and to improve livelihoods by making roads passable and allowing for
the movement of goods and people. And of course for access to land for farming
and pasture,”noted de Clercq.
The Head of UNMAS in Somalia, Alan MacDonald, advocated for the complete
removal of unexploded ordinances and landmines, to reduce the threat of IEDs.
The Anti Landmine Ban Treaty, which Somalia is a signatory, requires the country
to undertake full clearance of landmines by October 2022.
END