The Government of France has committed EUR 430,000 to the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action, enabling the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) to carry out life-saving activities in Misrata, Libya.
Thanks to the contribution from the French Government, UNMAS, responding to a request from the Libyan Mine Action Centre (LibMAC), will facilitate the destruction of approximately 200 tonnes of explosive remnants of war near residential areas in Misrata. This action will protect civilians and humanitarian workers and prevent theft of these unstable items.
“In partnership with the Government of France, UNMAS will continue to provide technical assistance and expert advice to Libyan mine action actors to destroy explosive remnants of war in Misrata,” said UNMAS Director Agnès Marcaillou. “The challenges in Libya are significant but we can achieve tangible safety, protection and stabilization outcomes with adequate donor support. I thank France for its trust in UNMAS.”
UNMAS continues to support Libyan authorities with addressing the management of vast stockpiles of controlled and uncontrolled arms and ammunition with the LibMAC and other mine action actors in their efforts to clear explosive items so they no longer threaten the population and to improve the safety of Libyan men, women, boys and girls through raising awareness of the dangers of the explosive contamination as well as small arms and light weapons.
UNMAS is the coordinator for mine action within the United Nations system and collaborates with 11 UN departments, agencies, programmes and funds to ensure an effective, proactive and coherent response to the problems of landmines and explosive remnants of war around the world.
(Source: UNSMIL)
