Parliament endorses Swiss commitment to mine clearance efforts in Ukraine
Ukraine is the country most contaminated with mines in the world. According to estimates by the Ukrainian government, around 40% of the country's territory is contaminated with landmines or ammunition remnants.
KEYSTONE
Parliament wants to strengthen Switzerland's commitment to mine clearance in Ukraine. After the House of Representatives, the Senate has also adopted a corresponding motion from the Social Democratic Party on Monday.
The Senate approved the motion without a countermotion. As however it had amended the motion in one point, the House of Representatives is now required to deal with it again.
Specifically, the motion put forth by the Social Democratic Party calls for the defence ministry to develop an international programme for mine clearance in cooperation with organisations active in war zones. The motion calls for Switzerland to also provide “significant financial and personnel support” for the programme.
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The Federal Council agreed to the request. In its response, it pointed out that Switzerland was already active in demining efforts. The army and the Geneva Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GIHCD), Switzerland has the necessary capabilities and resources.
The defence ministry and GIHCD have jointly organised mine clearance courses in Switzerland and Ukraine. The foreign ministry also provides financial support to the globally active Swiss Foundation for Demining (FSD), which is based in Geneva.
The Senate’s Security Policy Committee voted in favour of the motion by ten votes to one, with one abstention. However, it added a clause to the text of the motion stating that the federal government should favour Swiss companies active in the field of mine clearance wherever possible. The House of Representatives will now have to decide on the motion.
Ukraine is the country most contaminated with mines in the world, said commission spokesperson Charles Juillard. According to estimates by the Ukrainian government, around 40% of the country’s territory is contaminated with landmines or ammunition remnants.
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How two years of war in Ukraine have marked Switzerland
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Switzerland, a country which has long managed to side-step conflicts, has not been left unruffled by two years of war in Europe.
Defence Minister Viola Amherd described the Senate committee’s addition as unnecessary. Her department and the foreign ministry were already undertaking demining efforts, for example through cooperation with the Digger Foundation in canton Bern, which develops and builds mine clearance equipment. “It doesn’t change anything about our work,” Amherd said.
Adapted from German by DeepL/mg/amva
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