Ukraine: “Marshall Plan” approach needed to stop landmines from blighting country’s economy

Clearance of mines in Ukraine is urgent to put the country’s economy back on track and enable to grow food for the rest of the world, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said on Wednesday.

The agency has been mandated by Ukraine’s government to address the economic impact of mine contamination “in years, not decades”, UNDP’s Paul Heslop, who leads UN mine action in the country, told reporters in Geneva.

The process of getting rid of mines and remnants often takes decades and requires significant investment. “With the right resources and the right commitment from the international community and probably something similar to the Marshall Plan, we believe that, by 2028, we can help Ukraine remove 75 per cent of what is the economic impact of the conflict,” Mr. Heslop added.

Ukraine has become one of the world’s largest minefields. Their National Mine Action Authority estimates that more than 180,000 square kilometres, equivalent to a quarter of the country, has been exposed to conflict and potential contamination, putting over 14 million people at risk. Given the level of fighting and the types of weapons used, UNDP warned Ukraine is facing what Europe faced at the end of World War II.

For a swift and sustainable decontamination process, Mr. Heslop stressed it will require harnessing innovation like satellite imagery and drones alongside traditional demining techniques, investing in training and equipment for deminers, as well as working with international financial institutions to enable Ukrainian farms and energy firms to borrow money so that they can clear their land.

In a hopeful message to the international community, Mr. Heslop said: “make the commitment over the next five years and we will see Ukraine retake its place as an agricultural powerhouse and that will affect the world. It will bring down food prices for everybody.”

Mine Action Week is currently taking place in Geneva under the theme “mine action cannot wait”. Under the coordination of UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), UNDP organises humanitarian demining processes in different countries to ensure lasting peace and development. There are still more than 60 million people in close to 70 countries and territories who live with the threat of explosive ordnance.

Ends

Story: UN Mine Action in Ukraine – UNDP

Speaker:

• Paul Heslop, Head of UN Mine Action, UNDP Ukraine

TRT: 1’53
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 21 June 2023
UNMAS/UNDP Press Conference
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND


SHOTLIST

1. Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva.
2. Wide shot, Press room, UN Geneva
3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Paul Heslop, Head of UN Mine Action, UNDP Ukraine:
   “With the right resources, the right commitment and the right belief and a buy-in from the international community and probably something similar to the Marshall plan an investment in the Ukrainians to help the Ukrainians to solve the Ukrainian problem, -we're already asking that as much equipment as possible is bought in Ukraine- we believe that by 2028 we can help them remove 75 per cent of what is the economic impact of the conflict.”
4. Cutaway: medium shot journalists taking notes
5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Paul Heslop, Head of UN Mine Action, UNDP Ukraine: “Recently, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Economy (name should actually be Ms. Svyrydenko) called me and said, “Paul, we need to solve this problem in years, not decades.” We need to get the country back on its feet as quickly as possible.”
6. Cutaway: medium lateral shot
7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Paul Heslop, Head of UN Mine Action, UNDP Ukraine: “Using innovative solutions such as use of drones, satellite imagery, survey in the population, non-technical survey teams, we will literally save billions of dollars and we will return hundreds of thousands of hectares of land, or millions of hectares of land to agricultural use as quickly as possible.”
8. Cutaway: medium shot of speakers at podium
9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Paul Heslop, Head of UN Mine Action, UNDP Ukraine: “I think it is very realistic for us to turn around and say to the international community: make the commitment over the next five years and we will see Ukraine retake its place as an agricultural powerhouse and that will affect the world. It will bring down food prices for everybody.”
10. Various shots of Press conference room