Afghanistan Peace Campaign
The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General expresses support for efforts to find a sustainable solution to clearing unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix stated that last year, 800 people died in explosions from mines and explosives in Afghanistan.
The UN official announced his return from Afghanistan on Tuesday, May 21 on his social media page.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, wrote in a note, “I just returned from Afghanistan, where I witnessed the terrible impact of explosives on communities.”
Mr. Lacroix also emphasized that most of the victims of mine and explosive explosions in Afghanistan last year were children.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General said in a video released by the UN’s official news service: “Afghanistan has been grappling with mine issues for decades, and education and skills development in this area have been very effective.”
He stated that hundreds of thousands of tons of various types of unexploded ordnance remain from the remnants of war in Afghanistan.
Recently, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan said that a large portion of the land and infrastructure is contaminated with explosives, causing physical harm to the country’s citizens.