Britain’s government announced that it will be providing another £500,000 to the United Nations Development Program to support land mine clearance in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
New funding will provide vital training and expert advice to make the area safe, prevent injuries and save lives.
“This UK contribution will harness the UN’s expertise, reduce the risks to civilian life in both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and allow people to rebuild their lives,” said the UK Minister for Europe and North America, James Cleverly.
“In the spirit of protecting all the peoples of the region, the UK urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign the UN conventions that seek to eliminate the use of anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions. We encourage the authorities to ensure the UN and other humanitarian agencies are able to contribute fully to supporting peace and development across all parts of the region,” he added.
The latest contribution brings the total UK funding for de-mining to over £1 million since the Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020. It builds on the UK’s £1 million donation to the International Committee of the Red Cross in 2020.
The region is one of the most contaminated with land mines and unexploded ordnance in the world.
Launched in 2015, the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) is a cross government fund which works to build peace and stability in countries at risk of instability and in regions suffering from long running conflicts
The CSSF operates in over 80 countries and territories, delivering more than 90 programs and combines Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other, non-ODA funding sources.
