SGS participated in Demine Ukraine Forum 2.0

https://demine.gov.ua/demine-forum-20

On Monday, December 2, 2024, the SGS delegation took part in the Demine Ukraine Forum 2.0, dedicated to the demining of the territories of the state contaminated with explosive objects during the war of Russia against Ukraine.

The forum was attended by about 400 participants, including representatives of the government, international organizations, scientists, humanitarian demining experts, non-governmental organizations, business, equipment manufacturers and innovators.

The results of mine action activities for 2024 were summarized, and the prospects and tasks facing the field of humanitarian demining were outlined. In particular, new technologies were presented that can increase the safety and productivity of demining.

The event also discussed the issue of attracting investments, including foreign ones, and the search for experts to train demining operators. Particular attention was paid to the issue of the variety and use of machines for removing mines and explosive devices, including the development of Ukrainian analogues.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told the forum that almost 70 mine action operators, over 4 thousand sappers, and over 150 pieces of equipment are currently working on demining in Ukraine. According to him, in the first year of the full-scale war, 174 thousand square kilometers of Ukrainian territory were considered potentially mined, and thanks to partners and the work of Ukrainian sappers, almost 35.5 thousand square kilometers of Ukrainian land were returned to operation. This, he said, is a significant achievement, considering that intensive hostilities have been ongoing all this time.But at the same time, the pace of demining is insufficient - more than 760 civilians have already been affected by Russian mines, 86 of them children. In addition, there is a risk of fires, chemical intoxication of soils, and a risk of total change in ecosystems. And annual losses due to mined fields reach 11.2 billion dollars.

Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko said that in a year we managed to launch the demining market in Ukraine and strengthen the information and training campaign on demining for civilians. This is an important and necessary step, because some farmers still work on unmined fields. By doing so, they expose themselves and others to danger.

Among the plans for 2025, the forum identified:

survey of potentially contaminated lands;

cleaning the land from mines and shells in areas where contamination was detected;

attracting international donor assistance;

increasing the number of demining equipment;

increasing the number of certified mine action operators, including private ones.

As well as obtaining grants in the field of humanitarian demining, attracting new operators to tenders, developing training programs for veterans and other categories of the population who wish to join the field of demining.