Representatives of more than 50 countries, international and non-governmental organizations will gather today in the Swiss city of Lausanne for a two-day conference dedicated to the issue of demining in Ukraine, DPA reported.
Participants in the forum will comment on the possibilities of combining demining processes with the social and economic recovery of the country. They will also discuss methods for faster inspections of potentially mined areas, as well as new funding models.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is proposing that the Ukrainian government issue bonds that would tie demining to the introduction of sustainable agricultural practices. In addition, the interest from these bonds can be reinvested in demining and other activities, BTA reported.
There are vast areas in Ukraine littered with thousands of mines, cluster munitions and unexploded ordnance. According to Kiev’s calculations, the complete demining of the country would cost 34 billion euros.