Libya observed International Mine Awareness Day on Wednesday with a high-level event held at Tripoli’s Sports City, organised by the Libyan Centre for Mine Action and War Remnants in partnership with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), along with national and international demining organisations.
In a statement released Friday, UNSMIL confirmed the event drew participation from senior Libyan institutions, including the Ministries of Defence and Health, and the General Staff of the Libyan Army. Diplomats and representatives from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Ghana, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Kingdom were also in attendance.
During the opening ceremony, Ines Schöma, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, highlighted alarming statistics from the Libyan Mine Action Centre. She stated that hundreds of millions of square metres across Libya have been classified as hazardous areas, with more zones expected to be identified—particularly those where unexploded ordnance lies hidden beneath rubble.
The danger to civilians in these areas is extremely high, Schöma warned, urging continued clearance efforts and community awareness campaigns.
She stressed the critical need to ensure safe mobility for families, children, and entire communities by advancing mine clearance operations and intensifying education around the risks of unexploded remnants of war.