KSrelief Champions Global Mine Clearance, Aiming For Safer, Greener Futures

Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah emphasized Saudi Arabia's active involvement in removing unexploded ordnance. This initiative is part of the Kingdom's humanitarian efforts to improve the environment, protect civilians, particularly women and children, build capabilities, provide a safe environment, preserve public health, and mitigate the dangerous effects of explosives on individuals and society.

Dr. Al Rabeeah highlighted the Middle East Green Initiative, announced by HRH the Crown Prince and valued at $2.5 billion. The initiative aims to lead the Kingdom and the region in protecting land and nature while addressing environmental challenges. Dr. Al Rabeeah made these statements during his participation in the third annual International Conference on Mine Action, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 30 and 31 under the theme "Mitigating the Environmental Impact of Landmines: Resource Mobilization for a Safe and Green Future."

He also emphasized the global impact of Saudi Arabia's humanitarian aid, stating that the Kingdom has provided over $129 billion in aid to 169 countries worldwide since 1996. Dr. Al Rabeeah highlighted that KSrelief has conducted 2,925 humanitarian projects in 99 countries, valued at $6.824 billion. These projects cover vital sectors such as food, education, health, shelter, nutrition, water, environmental sanitation, among others, in collaboration with 180 partners from international, regional, and local organizations.

Dr. Al Rabeeah noted the center's efforts to address the spread of mines in various countries worldwide. He mentioned that through KSrelief, the Kingdom initiated the Saudi Mine Clearance Project in Yemen (MASAM) in June 2018 as a humanitarian initiative to assist the Yemeni people in dealing with this dangerous security issue. The project has successfully removed 443,452 planted explosives in various parts of Yemen and cleared 56,636,614 cubic meters of land.

The MASAM project has also contributed to building the capabilities of 400 mine clearance specialists. Dr. Al Rabeeah said that KSrelief signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Azerbaijan National Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) to provide financial support for clearing Azerbaijani lands of mines. Additionally, KSrelief extended a grant to Iraq in April to finance survey projects and remove cluster munitions and mines in several governorates.

He explained that KSrelief has established a prosthetic limbs program in Yemen. This high-quality project manufactures and provides prosthetic devices for amputated limbs and organizes various rehabilitation programs for affected individuals. So far, 3,496,500 individuals have benefited from these initiatives.

With inputs from SPA