Al-Falahi: Al-Kadhimi directed to allocate a budget for the mine affairs program

Security

17-02-2022, 18:12

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Baghdad - INA

The Ministry of Environment, Jassem Al-Falahi, confirmed today, Thursday, that Iraq is classified among the most polluted countries in the world, and while noting that the number of its victims is increasing daily, he confirmed that Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi directed the allocation of a budget for the mine affairs program.

Al-Falahi first spoke to the Iraqi News Agency (INA) about the International Donors' Conference for Mine Action held in Baghdad and stressed that it is held from time to time to shed light on the great challenges facing the mine action program.

He added, "The mine action program is funded internationally in cooperation with the Mine Action Foundation in the Kurdistan Region and the United Nations Mine Action Organization," noting that "Iraq is classified as one of the most mine-polluted countries in the world because of the huge areas of mines resulting from the Iran-Iraq war." And the new burden of pollution left by the war on ISIS terrorist gangs, which depended on improvised explosive devices.

He pointed out that "the mined and IED-contaminated lands reach more than 6000 km," stressing that "the ministry is working with great efforts through the Department of Mine Affairs and focusing on international support through countries and organizations, which have made serious efforts to support the humanitarian side because the support is in the budget.".

He pointed out that "Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi is greatly interested in this program and directed that there be a specialized budget for the mine affairs program," expressing his aspiration to "make progress in this program to achieve sustainable development goals, return the displaced to their places, rehabilitate and rebuild liberated areas and encourage investment." Especially in the oil regions, which requires that the land be clean and free of mines and bombs.