Lausanne, Switzerland will host the Ukrainian Conference on Mine Action (UMAC2024) on October 17-18, as announced by the Federal Council of Switzerland.
The conference will bring together high-ranking officials, representatives from international organizations, the private sector, and the academic community.
Switzerland will be represented by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd, who will open the conference, and the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis.
"The event, which Switzerland is co-organising with Ukraine, will focus on the global aspects of humanitarian demining, highlighting three pillars in particular: people, partners, and progress. The aim is to put the civilian population at the centre of the debate, to highlight the benefits of partnerships and to show how innovation makes mine action safer and more effective," the statement said.
Swiss support for humanitarian demining in Ukraine and around the world
Since February 2022, the federal government has implemented various measures to support those affected by the war in Ukraine and allocated around 3.7 billion Swiss francs. Last year the Federal Council approved 100 million francs for a period of four years, earmarked exclusively for humanitarian demining in Ukraine. Thanks to its long-standing presence on the ground, Switzerland can provide direct and effective support in cooperation with partners such as the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and the Fondation suisse de déminage (FSD). Humanitarian demining experts are currently active in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions, checking and clearing contaminated areas. Switzerland also supports an assistance programme for mine victims and smallholder farmers who are currently unable to work their fields.
In line with its humanitarian tradition, Switzerland has particular experience in the field of mine action and has been engaged in mine clearance worldwide for over 30 years. Under the Action Plan on Mine Action for 2023-26, Switzerland supports the implementation of the relevant conventions, provides assistance and specialised personnel for the clearance of contaminated areas, and explores innovative approaches.
