Estonia Supports the Clearing of Land Mines in Afghanistan with 200,000 Kroons
10.04.2008
The Estonian Foreign Ministry donated 200,000 kroons to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action. The sum was allocated from the Foreign Ministry’s budget for membership fees in international organisations.
“Afghanistan is one of the most mine-damaged countries in the world,” said Foreign Minister Urmas Paet. “By donating to the demining efforts, Estonia is supporting the restoration of a normal and safe living environment,” he added. An estimated 700 million square meters of ground in Afghanistan are covered by mines and other undetonated explosives. In accordance with the Ottawa Convention, which forbids the use, storage, production and passing on of infantry mines and requires their destruction, Afghanistan must clear its mine fields by 2013.
Estonia has actively contributed to Ottawa Convention efforts in recent years. From 2003-2007, an Estonian rescue team worked to clear mine fields in Afghanistan. In 2006 Estonia was a co-reviewer on the Ottawa Convention’s stockpile destruction committee, and in 2007 Estonia served as co-chairman of the same committee.
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