Sarajevo [Bosnia], April 16: Bosnia and Herzegovina's Council of Ministers adopted a revised Mine Action Strategy for 2025-2027, reaffirming the country's commitment to a mine-free future, officials said on Tuesday.
The strategy reflects the country's ongoing obligations under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. Despite progress in recent decades, an estimated 822 square km of land remains contaminated as of early 2025.
Since the end of the Bosnian War in 1995 through August 2024, landmine incidents have injured 1,781 people and claimed 624 lives. Among humanitarian deminers, 134 have fallen victim to mines, including 53 fatalities.
Landmine contamination remains a significant legacy of the 1992-1995 war when all three warring factions laid mines near present-day entity borders. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) continues to face one of the world's most serious landmine challenges.
At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Civil Affairs secured 2 million Convertible Marks (1.15 million U.S. dollars) from the national budget specifically for demining, demonstrating growing political will to accelerate clearance operations.
The Minister of Civil Affairs emphasized that demining is not just about safety but also about fostering local development, restoring farmland, and improving citizens' living conditions.
Based on a review of operational capacities and expenditures from 2018 to 2023, the new strategy sets a realistic target of clearing 75 square km annually in 2025 and 2026.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
