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Switzerland should play a leading role in clearing mines in Ukraine. The Federal Council has made clearing civilian and agricultural areas in the war-torn country a priority and has made available 100 million francs for this purpose.
The aid package is intended to enable Ukraine to rebuild, the state government wrote in a statement on Friday. “Switzerland is making its expertise available to tackle this immense humanitarian challenge.”
Since the invasion in early 2022, Ukraine has become one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. It is believed that a third of the territory is contaminated by mines and ammunition. In concrete terms: 174,000 square kilometers. That is bigger than England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.
This has devastating consequences for agriculture and large parts of the world. Ukraine is considered the “breadbasket of Europe” and many countries in Africa, including Egypt, also get their grain from Ukraine.
The civilian population is also suffering. Especially those returning to the former combat zones and recaptured areas. For example, in the north (Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv) and in the south of Ukraine (Kherson). For months, dramatic accidents occurred with farmers detonating mines in the fields. Children are also mutilated in their gardens.
That is why the federal government declares mine clearance “absolutely urgent” and makes it a priority for Swiss humanitarian aid. Half of the financial resources amounting to 100 million francs for the years 2024 to 2027 will come from the budget pots of the Federal Ministry of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EDA).
Switzerland is already participating in humanitarian mine clearance in Ukraine. According to the Federal Council, a total amount of 15.2 million francs was made available in 2022 and 2023. The DDPS supplied, among other things, a mine clearance device. (SDA/rba)
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
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