Armenia's Landmines Hinder Humanitarian Efforts in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan faces a significant challenge due to landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination resulting from nearly three decades of military occupation by Armenia. Speaking at the initiative, Mine, Action, Eventin Baku on Friday, Hikmət Hacıyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, emphasized the importance of international cooperation in demining efforts and thanked the European Union for its attention to Azerbaijan's mine problem.

Why this matters: The presence of landmines in Azerbaijan not only poses a significant threat to civilians but also hinders the country's socio-economic development and creates a major obstacle to the return of internally displaced persons. Resolving this issue is crucial for regional stability and humanitarian efforts, and international cooperation is essential to address this complex problem.

Azerbaijan is one of the most heavily mine-contaminated countries globally, with an estimated 1.5 million planted, countless, landmines, serious, impact, and an unknown number of ERWs contaminating around 12% of the nation's territory. The presence of these landmines poses severe risks to civilians, hinders socio-economic development, and has resulted in 212 landmine explosion incidents, causing 356 victims, including women and children, from 2020 to April 27, 2024. The cumulative toll of landmine victims in Azerbaijan has reached 3,435 over the last 30 years.

Hacıyev attributed the landmine problem to Armenia's 30-year occupation, stating,"Indeed, it is a problem that arose as a result of the occupation of Armenia for 30 years. On a global scale, Azerbaijan is in first place in terms of mined areas. This also creates a problem for IDPs to return to their territories. "He further emphasized the humanitarian impact, noting that the landmines hinder the return of 800,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes and obstruct activities.

Armenia's refusal to provide accurate maps of the landmines it planted on Azerbaijani territory further complicates demining efforts. President Ilham Aliyev has previously addressed this issue, stating, "If you don't want to give the money to us directly, you could give it to a company that will come and demine if you wish to help."

Azerbaijan has spearheaded international initiatives to raise awareness and foster cooperation on mine action, including hosting annual international mine action conferences, initiating the NAM Contact Group on Humanitarian Demining, and sponsoring a UNESCO military manual on protecting cultural property. The country is also establishing a UNDP-ANAMA Center of Excellence for mine action training and has adopted a national SDG on mine action.

The EU has announced the Team Europe Initiative to support Azerbaijan's mine action efforts, which is intended as a framework to coordinate and mobilize assistance from the EU and its member states. Hacıyev emphasized the need for direct financial donations to amplify the scope of operations and expressed hope that the level of funding will be commensurate with the size of the problem. An international event related to landmines is planned for May 2024 in Zangilan, Azerbaijan, to further address this pressing issue.

Key Takeaways

• Azerbaijan is heavily contaminated with 1.5 million landmines, hindering socio-economic development and IDP returns.
• Landmines pose severe risks to civilians, with 356 victims, including women and children, from 2020 to 2024.
• Armenia's refusal to provide accurate maps of planted landmines complicates demining efforts.
• Azerbaijan has initiated international efforts to raise awareness and foster cooperation on mine action.
• The EU's Team Europe Initiative will support Azerbaijan's mine action efforts, with a need for direct financial donations.