Clearing the deadly debris of war should be a key goal of delegates at the Munich Security Conference, the head of the world’s largest landmine clearance charity, The HALO Trust, said today.
HALO CEO and former British General James Cowan: “From the vast grainfields of Ukraine to the former front lines in Syria, removing landmines builds security, enhances stability and saves lives.” HALO is the largest humanitarian demining organisation working in Ukraine, where over a million acres of farmland are estimated to be littered with explosives – limiting its global food exports.
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Source: Reliefweb
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