The Ministry of Environment announced the signing of a cooperation document with the Republic of South Korea in the field of removing mines and unexploded ordnance, and activating coordination cooperation at the level of capacity-building and technical and modern support in the field of surveying and clearing mines.
The Ministry said in a statement: "The document included an agreement to provide Iraq with three detectors equipped with advanced equipment for remote technical survey of mines, to be used in mine action."
It stressed the importance of international partnership and bridging bilateral cooperation between Iraq and Korea in the field of the national mine action program for humanitarian purposes in line with the Disarmament Agreement, national laws and international law and in pursuit of the common interest between the two countries and the Ministry’s continuation in implementing humanitarian programs by providing health and moral support to mine victims and their positive integration into society.
For his part, the Korean Ambassador to Baghdad, Joey Sung Su, confirmed that "the signing of this document comes within the framework of strengthening work partnerships and joint programs between the two countries, implementing the obligations of international agreements in the file of demining, supporting Iraqi national capabilities, and expanding cooperation in all environmental fields.
The Director General of the Department of Mine Affairs pointed to the importance of international cooperation to coordinate national mine action and to conduct operational operation activities and programs on the ground, especially that the department has an integrated information base showing the contaminated and cleared areas and the clearance work that is being carried out, as well as the numbers of mine victims in all affected areas.
He added, "The priority was for the provinces liberated from the terrorist ISIS, and the focus was on the province of Basra, especially Al-Faw district, because it is the economic artery of Iraq and the rest of the southern provinces of Maysan, Wasit and Dhi Qar.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency