Algeria urges increased efforts to eliminate anti-personnel mines, ensure victim support

Algeria's permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva and international organizations in Switzerland, Rachid Bladehane, called on Friday the international community to ramp up efforts to eliminate anti-personnel mines and ensure the support and full inclusion of survivors and victims'.

In a statement at the 57th Human Rights Council, Bladehane urged UN member states to "bolster their commitment to relevant international treaties and unite for establishing a mine-free world, including through an awareness and information campaign on mines, especially by ratifying and implementing the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines."

He further urged the international community to "speed up demining efforts, guarantee comprehensive support for victims, and work closely with international organizations, civil society and other partners to share knowledge, resources, and best practices in demining and victim assistance."

In this regard, Bladehane invited all countries to "promote education and raise awareness about the dangers of landmines."

The representative of Algeria in Geneva said that "our responsibility extends beyond conflict prevention to addressing the damage they cause. Anti-personnel mines are a tragic legacy we must eradicate."

He added, "Respecting human dignity requires that we act decisively and compassionately to ensure a future where no one falls victim to these inhumane mines."

He noted that anti-personnel mines are "a flagrant violation of human rights. Beyond the right to life, which is inviolable, they also infringe on the right to health and education, while preventing communities' access to vital resources like food and water."

Bladehane said that the degradation of explosive munitions can lead to "soil or groundwater contamination, trigger forest fires and, in general, harm the environment."

"No State can justify the use of these weapons, which strike indiscriminately and inflict excessive harm," he added.

He affirmed that "every year, anti-personnel mines claim countless victims. Innocent lives are lost, families are shattered and entire communities are thrust into despair."

He underscored that "in many regions affected by this scourge, disabled survivors of mine explosions suffer severe physical and psychological trauma. They often encounter major obstacles in accessing vital medical care, rehabilitation services and opportunities for social reintegration."

He added that "women and children, often the most vulnerable, are particularly exposed in mine-affected areas."

"The presence of mines hinders access to education, health care and cultural and economic opportunities, perpetuating cycles of poverty and exclusion," he concluded.