LONDON: Syrian officials met with their European counterparts to discuss mine clearance efforts, which continue to impact communities in Syria following the end of the civil war in December 2024.
Raed Al-Saleh, the minister of emergency and disaster management, chaired a three-day conference in Geneva on Monday to discuss demining action as a top priority, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
The event was organized in partnership with the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining and received support from the EU, Germany, and Switzerland.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, at least 3,799 civilians have been killed in Syria due to landmines and remnants of cluster munitions between March 2011 and April 2025. Experts estimate that there are over 300,000 landmines in Syria.
Al-Saleh said that mine clearance was “an investment in humanity, life and stability,” as it saves lives and restores access to land and services.
He said: “There can be no safe return (of Syrian refugees) without safe land, and no sustainable stability without removing this deadly threat.”
He noted that the Syrian National Mine Action Center is building a contamination-mapping, database, and coordination among local and international partners to address the issue of mines and unexploded ordnance.
The minister added that Syria needs collective efforts from the UN, donors, and private-sector partners who have expertise in mine clearance.
The World Bank estimates that Syria requires $216 billion for reconstruction and that large-scale investment cannot flow into a country where the land remains unsafe.
The delegation from Syria included representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, as well as demining specialists.
