The UN stated that the global epidemic of COVID-19 has limited access to landmine removal operations. The IED is the biggest threat to the peacekeepers of the African Union.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (File Photo)
United Nations on IED: The United Nations has expressed concern over the increasing use of explosive devices (IEDs) around the world and asked to work together to prevent this menace. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns that the use of explosive devices is increasing as armed groups become more urbanized and grow faster (United Nations on IED Use). He urged the nations to work together to prevent the dangers posed by these weapons as well as landmines and other remnants of war.
The UN chief told the Security Council on Thursday that 560 square kilometers of areas of major centers from Afghanistan and Iraq to Cambodia and Colombia have been protected from the IEDs by UN funds over the past three years (UN on International Treaty Against Land Mines). He told that this area is 10 times more than the area of Manhattan, which can now be used in buildings, farming, schools and roads. Along with this, he said that despite the progress made by the United Nations and other organizations, ‘challenges have increased’.
Campaign affected by COVID
This includes limiting access to landmines removal operations due to the COVID-19 global epidemic. Gutarais said that the IED is the biggest threat to the peacekeepers of the African Union present in both Somalia and Mali. He said that landmines and other explosive remnants of war disrupt the movement of UN peacekeepers in southern Sudan and ‘new explosive risks’ are emerging from the Central African Republic and Congo. The Secretary-General said that in 1997 (1997 International Treaty Against Land Mines) there was an international agreement against Land Mines. It was signed by 164 countries of the world.
What does the agreement say?
This agreement prohibits the use of mines, accumulation, production and transfer of large quantities. However, many nations are still being negligent in this matter. Vietnam chaired the Security Council and also organized this virtual meeting on Thursday. The meeting is chaired by the new foreign minister, Bu Thanh Sun. Sun said, ‘Every year in countries like Afghanistan, Libya and Yemen, land mines, explosive remnants of war and equipment used in explosions kill ten thousand people. These include mostly ordinary citizens and children. There is also a worrying situation in Cambodia, Laos and my own country, Vietnam, where wars have ended decades ago.
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