Side Event on Mine Issues Held at UN Geneva Office

Politics 17:07 01.11.2024

On October 31, 2024, a side event titled "Demining for Development" was organized by the International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as part of the 2024 Social Forum. Over 40 representatives from international organizations and governments attended the event to discuss solutions to the global crisis caused by landmines and unexploded remnants of war (UXO), the initiative to recognize demining as the 18th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), and the impact of mines on human rights and socio-economic life.

In his opening speech, IEPF President Umud Mirzayev welcomed the participants and spoke about the IEPF’s work and the severity of Azerbaijan's mine problem. Mirzayev called on world leaders, international organizations, and civil society to prioritize the resolution of the mine issue within the context of sustainable development, to support the "SDG 18" initiative, and to unite in saying “no” to landmines.

Following his address, attendees were shown a video presentation titled "Why is SDG 18 Important?" which highlighted various calls to support the mine campaign and emphasized the urgent statistics surrounding the mine problem. Ventzislav Sabev, Deputy Secretary General of the Geneva Center for Geostrategic Studies and the event moderator, then introduced the panelists working in mine action programs and opened the panel discussion.

First, Nariman Qasimov, Deputy Director of the International Relations Department of Azerbaijan's Mine Action Agency (ANAMA), shared key notes on ANAMA’s intensified activities and provided statistics on Azerbaijan’s demining efforts. He particularly emphasized the high number of mine incidents and victims since November 2020. Following his speech, other panelists took the floor, including Nidal Salim, a board member of the Institute for International Law and Development (IRDG); Juan Carlos Ruan, Director of the Implementation Support Unit of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention; Kasia Derlicka, representative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL); Hafiz Safikhanov, head of the campaign in Azerbaijan; Beatrice Presutti, Program Officer at the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD); and Florian Eblenkamp, Partnerships Specialist for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). A representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and prominent public figure Shafak Pavey also attended the event.

During the proceedings, Hambardzum Minasyan, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, took the floor, accusing the speakers of sharing false information and propaganda. He claimed that Armenia was innocent in the mine issue and had provided mine maps to Azerbaijan in 2021. In response, IEPF President Umud Mirzayev emphasized that the discussions were based on facts and realities, providing a substantial rebuttal to the Armenian diplomat. Mirzayev displayed portraits of mine victims, highlighting that they were casualties of mines laid by Armenia and shared that his own home had been destroyed by the Armenian Armed Forces.

It should be noted that this side event was part of the project titled "Mine-Free World Initiative as the 18th Goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," implemented by IEPF with the support of the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

2T5A5022.jpg

2T5A5007.jpg

2T5A4846.jpg

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Azerbaijan signs $173.5M loan agreement with WB for renewable energy project
19:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan ink several documents to diversify economic partnership
18:45 01.07.2025
Another group of Ukrainian children arrive in Azerbaijan for rehabilitation
18:15 01.07.2025
IEPF Launches a Series of Trainings for NGOs
18:14 01.07.2025
Sahil Babayev: Azerbaijan aims to become green energy exporter
18:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani minister: Youth action plan to be drafted at international event in Aghdam
17:45 01.07.2025
Azerbaijan launches criminal case into killing of Azerbaijani brothers in Russia
17:30 01.07.2025
European diplomats visit West Bank town after deadly attack by Israeli settlers
17:15 01.07.2025
Poland’s president calls on gov’t to stop entry of migrants from Germany
17:00 01.07.2025
Artists, writers urge UK government not to ban pro-Palestine group
16:45 01.07.2025
China's Communist Party tops 100 million members in ‘significant milestone’
16:30 01.07.2025
China says ‘complicated’ boundary dispute with India will take time to resolve
16:15 01.07.2025
Severe weather batters Italy, leaving two dead and multiple regions on alert
16:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijan detains Russian citizens in Baku suspected of drug trafficking, online fraud
15:50 01.07.2025
China sanctions former Philippines senator over 'egregious conduct' on Beijing-related issues
15:30 01.07.2025
Meta fined over $512,000 by Taiwan for lack of transparency over advertisers
15:15 01.07.2025
Trump says Musk would ‘head back to South Africa’ without US subsidies for EVs
15:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani brothers murdered in Russia hit with blunt instrument, examinations reveal
14:45 01.07.2025
Kazakhstan commends top-tier organization of ECO Youth Forum in Azerbaijan's Aghdam
14:30 01.07.2025
U.S. Charge d'Affaires hails Azerbaijan’s support in ensuring safe evacuation country's citizens from Iran
14:15 01.07.2025
Slovakia appoints Azerbaijani native as ambassador to Baku
14:00 01.07.2025
Fitch reveals forecast for Azerbaijan's state budget deficit in 2025
13:45 01.07.2025
WSJ: Amazon is on the cusp of using more robots than Humans in its warehouses
13:30 01.07.2025
Politico: EC ready to allow countries to restrict access to social networks by age
13:15 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani brothers murdered in Russia hit with blunt instrument, examinations reveal
13:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani official elected vice-president of international conference
12:45 01.07.2025
US approves $510M sale of munitions guidance kits to Israel
12:30 01.07.2025
Death toll in India factory blast rises to 34
12:25 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani ambassador leaves Russian Foreign Ministry building
12:15 01.07.2025
Iranian president to attend ECO summit in Azerbaijan's Khankandi
12:10 01.07.2025
Russia summons Azerbaijani ambassador
12:00 01.07.2025
Iran-linked hackers threaten to release Trump aides' emails
11:45 01.07.2025
Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip leave 95 Palestinians killed
11:30 01.07.2025
Israel shoots down over 1,000 Iranian drones — permanent representative to UN
11:15 01.07.2025
US urges Russia to agree to Ukraine ceasefire, trilateral talks — Kellogg
11:00 01.07.2025
Cuba’s top diplomat slams Trump’s latest anti-Cuban move as criminal conduct
10:45 01.07.2025
Elon Musk calls for new political party
10:30 01.07.2025
Youth from 7 countries visit Azerbaijan's Aghdam
10:15 01.07.2025
Erdogan: 'I'd like to express my gratitude to Azerbaijani people once again'
10:00 01.07.2025
Bodies of brothers killed in Russia's Yekaterinburg delivered to Azerbaijan's Aghjabadi for burial
09:45 01.07.2025
Hamısı