Minister of Foreign Affairs to attend London meetings in support of landmine-free world
News Release
April 3, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
Canada is a long-time leader in action against landmines, including through the establishment of the Ottawa Convention to ban anti-personnel mines, twenty years ago this year. Canadians can be proud that our contribution to landmine action is helping to make the world a safer place.
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will attend an international demining event in London, United Kingdom, on April 4, 2017, to reiterate Canada’s commitment to demining and highlight the work of the world’s largest demining organizations, the HALO Trust and Mines Advisory Group (MAG).
The Minister is announcing today new funding to support demining efforts in Sri Lanka and Ukraine. This funding includes $1.9 million over three years to identify and clear landmines in northern Sri Lanka, which will allow affected residents to resume their livelihoods in agriculture and the fishery. It also includes more than $3.8 million for education, training and mine-clearance activities in eastern Ukraine.
Canada has led critical demining work. Over the last year, $13.8 million was announced to conduct urgent humanitarian demining activities in Colombia, the second most mined country in the world. Canada has also committed $6 million to contribute to the demining of areas liberated from Daesh in Iraq.
While in London, the Minister will also meet Boris Johnson, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
Quotes
“Demining work worldwide is critically important, and the devastating impact of these weapons on civilians is without question. Canada’s funding for these projects builds on the significant work already undertaken in mine clearing in these countries. It is my hope that the funding will help to create a world free of anti-personnel mines. This is necessary for long-term peace and security for people around the world.”
- Hon. Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs
Quick Facts
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Canada was the first country to sign the Ottawa Convention, in 1997. The Convention bans the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines, and it is considered one of the most successful disarmament treaties ever established; 162 countries have joined the Convention.
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Canada has contributed $237 million over the last decade to mine action around the world. Canada currently supports mine action as part of development assistance and stabilization programming in Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Sri Lanka and Ukraine.
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In Colombia, Canada is contributing $12.5 million over five years to the HALO Trust to conduct humanitarian demining activities in 10 mine-affected municipalities. Canada is also contributing $1.3 million over one year to the Organization of American States’ Comprehensive Action Against Antipersonnel Mines program to help improve the capacity of the Government of Colombia to deal with the large number of landmines in the country following 50 years of conflict.
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In Iraq, through MAG, Canada is providing $2 million over three years to deploy specialized teams, including detection-dog teams, to clear land of improvised explosive devices in the governate of Nineveh so that displaced populations can return home to areas newly liberated from Daesh.
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The International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is a call for continued efforts by states to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to safety or an impediment to social and economic development.
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