Egypt seeks turning mines contaminated areas into developmental projects
A photo of a smiling man with artificial limbs, hand in hand with his child, running in the vast desert, has moved the hearts of the attendees during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the WWII in Egypt’s capital Cairo.
The man in his 30s has lost his right leg and left arm in a mine explosion in the desert of the Egyptian North West Coastal (NWC) El-Alamein city.
The photo showcased optimism in the man’s glimmering eyes for better future after he was integrated again into the society by working and making family.
According to the Executive Secretariat for Demining and Development of the North West Coast, some 761 people were mine victims, most of them handicapped.
Egypt intensifies its endeavors to turn its NWC from mine explosive areas into highly developmental projects and end the sufferings of the local residents.
The contamination of the NWC of Egypt with explosive remnants of war dates back to the military events that took place in the western Desert during the WWII, mainly El-Alamein battles in 1942.
“Since then and for more than 70 years, Egyptians have been bearing the burden of conflicts they weren’t responsible for or part to,” said Fathy Al-Shazly, chairman of the Executive Secretariat for Demining and Development of the North West Coast, department in the International Cooperation Ministry.
The presence of huge amounts of mines and other Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) in NWC constitutes a huge obstacle to the socio-economic development of the region, which is known for its rich natural resources, while representing a continuous threat to local inhabitants living in the region.
A total amount of 94,446 acres has been cleared in El-Alamein since Egypt Mine Action Project was launched in August 2007, Al-Shazly told Xinhua.
He added three watershed projects have been carried out in Wadi Hebla, El-Hawaweer and Ahdaf districts in Marsa Matrouh Province.
Activities for detecting and clearing mine fields in Egypt were formally launched in 1983 and lasted until 1999 with costs borne by the Egyptian Army. From 1999 onwards, the Egyptian Armed Forces were compelled to slow down the pace of this mission for budgetary reasons.
According to the findings, there are: 2.5 percent anti-personnel mines, 22.5 percent anti-vehicle and anti-tank mines, and 75 percent of WWII ERW that await clearance are unexploded ordnance, including 2,000 pound aircraft dropped bombs, different calibers of shells and mortars, rounds of machines and small weapons.
“Not only a humanitarian hazard and a diabolic threat that has caused thousands of casualties, but a huge obstacle confiscating the great potential of socio-economic development of the region, known to be rich in its natural resources,” UN multi-agency assessment mission report said in 2000.
Al-Shazly said that 28,200 acres, 37,006 acres and 26,190 acres of the demined areas have been allocated for projects in agriculture, industry, and for housing ministries respectively.
The national development plan for the NWC envisages the creation of two million new jobs by 2050, with 750,000 of them available by 2032.
The development plan identified immense resources to benefit local dwellers and the overall economic development of the region as well as to positively reflect itself on the national macro indicator including: 500,000 acres of land good for agriculture and 3.5 million acres good for grazing, 70 million cubic meters of mineral resources, 1.8 billion barrels of oil and 8.5 trillion cubic meters of natural gas.
Egypt has been provided equipment and financial aids from German, Italy, Britain, China, the United States and Japan.
On Oct. 24, 2014, a partnership agreement with the European Union (EU) delegation has been signed to support the NWC development plan and relevant mine action phase two.
The EU has fully funded the project with 4.7 million Euros which will help clear mines, reintegrate mine victims into the economy and create awareness in the community.
Official statistics shows that more than 120 million land mines in 71 countries around the world kill 800 persons and wound 1,200 other monthly.
Source: Xinhua net
