(March 24, 2016) Kabul, Afghanistan. In February, Japan contributed US$ 2 million to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) through Voluntary Trust Fund (VTF) for Assistance in Mine Action for Afghanistan. The contribution will directly benefit an estimated 13,198 people living within 500m of contaminated areas. Indirect beneficiaries are estimated at 456,885. This includes the broader population of the districts provisionally targeted for clearance who will benefit from the release of previously contaminated land for productive use. The contribution will enable the clearance of an estimated 1.76 million square metres of recorded landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination in Kandahar, Kunduz, and Farah provinces, prioritized for clearance in line with Afghanistan’s Extension Request to its Ottawa Treaty obligations.
In addition to funding grants to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) implementing partners, the contribution from Japan will enable effective coordination and quality management of Japanese‐funded activities. It will also enable the continuation of ongoing efforts to transfer responsibility for these functions from the United Nations to the Government of Afghanistan.
Jeffrey McMurdo, the Programme Manager of the UNMAS Afghanistan, said: "As we continue to work towards the deadline of a mine‐free Afghanistan in 2023, Japan's generous contribution is a reminder of its long‐standing commitment to this goal. The funding will create secure communities, much‐needed jobs, more land for productive use and perhaps most importantly at this time, hope for a return to a peaceful Afghanistan. Afghanistan once was mine‐free. It will be again."
Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi, Director of the Afghan Government’s Directorate for Mine Action Coordination (DMAC), welcomed the contribution. “The Government and people of Afghanistan are grateful to the Japanese Government and citizens for enabling the much needed clearance and risk education in communities across the country. As a result of Japan’s contribution, communities are not only safer but they also reap the social and economic benefits of a mine‐free land.” Yasunari Morino, Chargé d‘Affaires ad interim at the Japanese Embassy, said: “Japan shares the goal with UNMAS of a mine‐free Afghanistan by 2023. Mine clearance sets a basic condition for development such as infrastructure and agriculture, which contributes to the improvement of the socio‐economic situation in Afghanistan. Based on this belief, Japan has been assisting mine clearance projects through the VTF. Japan will continue to assist the efforts in the nation building by Afghanistan in various areas.” In the last six years, Japan has provided over US$ 94.6 million to the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action across the world. Japan’s support has led to the clearance of over 22,000 hazardous areas, the destruction of over a million anti‐personnel mines and over 18 million items of ERW in Afghanistan alone.
*** The End *** For more information visit: http://www.mineaction.org/programmes/afghanistan Ms. Fadwa Benmbarek, UNMAS Programme Officer, fadwab@unops.org Mr. Noorullah Elham, UNMACA Snr. Public Information Officer, noorullah.elham@macca.org.af, +93 70 2353 298
Next to Bank Alfalah, Sadarat Watt, Shahr‐e Naw, Kabul, Afghanistan | www.macca.org.af | info@macca.org.af | +93 (0) 704 41 40 31