A stable and secure peace is impossible without eliminating the mine threat, Representative of the President of Azerbaijan on special assignments Elchin Amirbayov said at the 4th International Mine Action Conference themed “Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements.”
Amirbayov noted that the mine threat is a challenge that no country can tackle alone, and addressing it requires solidarity, friendship, and, above all, sustained international support.
He recalled that this year’s conference is dedicated to humanitarian demining for safe settlement and reconstruction, but he would like to approach this topic from a slightly different perspective - that of the role demining plays as part of peacemaking.
"The main message here is very simple: as long as the physical consequences of the war continue to threaten people’s lives, restrict mobility, slow economic activity, and hinder the return of former internally displaced persons, peace cannot be considered fully established," Elchin Amirbayov said.
According to him, peace is not created by political agreements alone, peace must be visible on the ground, in real life.
"But one of the biggest obstacles to making peace visible in Azerbaijan lies underground. Since the end of 2020, 437 people in Azerbaijan have been affected by mines - either killed or injured,” Elchin Amirbayov said.
