Babayev: Landmine threat should be included in int'l agenda as global issue

The landmine threat should be included in the international agenda as a global humanitarian and environmental problem, said the special representative of the president of Azerbaijan on climate issues, Mukhtar Babayev, while answering journalists' questions at the national pavilion at COP31 in Antalya, Report informs.

He noted that a special film is scheduled to be screened at the pavilion, designed to convey the scale of the landmine threat in Azerbaijan to an international audience.

"Large-scale programs for demining territories are being implemented in the country, and the state has allocated significant financial funds and resources to this sphere. At the same time, the landmine threat is not only Azerbaijan's problem. There are countries that have been fighting it for 30–40 years, but still cannot eliminate it," Babayev added.

He emphasized that the landmine problem should be kept in the spotlight of the world community not only in the context of Azerbaijan but also as a global environmental and humanitarian threat.

"Mines not only pose a serious threat to the lives and safety of people but also lead to severe social and environmental consequences. Therefore, it is critically important to intensify international efforts to combat the landmine threat and draw constant public attention to it," he stated.