March 24, 1998 No. 66

CANADA ANNOUNCES NEW INITIATIVES IN MINE ACTION

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Diane Marleau, Minister for International Co-operation, today announced funding in support of mine action in Bosnia, Cambodia and Afghanistan. The announcement came at the close of the International Workshop for Mine Action Co-ordination in Ottawa.

In Bosnia, a war-torn country where Canadian peacekeepers have played a key role, Canada will spend up to $10 million over five years to support an innovative mine action program. It will initially focus on northwest Bosnia, the area of responsibility for the Canadian peacekeeping contingent.

"We believe we have developed an effective, practical way to use existing demining expertise in Bosnia," said Minister Axworthy, who will travel to Bosnia later this week. "Our objective is to substantially reduce the risk posed by landmines to the people of Bosnia. Working with Canada's international partners, we will work to clear at least half of the highest priority contaminated areas in the country within five years. This will facilitate the safe return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes."

This program, the first to come from the $100 million Canadian Landmines Fund announced last December, was designed with

co-operation in mind. Under the program's "adopt-a-team" concept, Canada will encourage other donors to provide technical support to local demining teams. For $500 000 per year, these 30-person teams will be able to operate on an ongoing basis.

"I invite our international partners to join Canada in adopting a team of demining personnel", said Minister Marleau. "This approach will boost on-the-ground demining efforts in a practical and nationally co-ordinated manner."

On March 26, Minister Axworthy will open the Budapest Regional Conference on anti-personnel mines hosted by the Hungarian government. He will also visit northwest Bosnia to discuss implementation of the new program. Madame Marleau was in Sarajevo in early March where she witnessed the impact of landmines on the people of that city.

In addition, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will continue its ongoing support for mine action in Cambodia and Afghanistan. It will provide $1 million to the Cambodia Mine Action Centre (CMAC) to assist it in its demining programs, bringing the total CIDA contribution to CMAC to $3.9 million. CIDA will also contribute $1 million in additional funding to the United Nations Centre for Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan, for a total of $4.75 million. These two contributions are part of CIDA's long-term program funding for mine action in Cambodia and Afghanistan.

"The key focus of any mine action programs is not so much on the number of mines as on the number of victims and the amount of arable land lost to development and productive use -- in other words, on the real impact on daily life," said Mr. Axworthy.

In both countries, efforts will aim at enhancing the ability of people in mine-affected areas to rebuild their communities.

"At all times," said Minister Marleau, "our actions have to be people-centred. After all, individuals, one by one, and each in their own right, are the engine of development."

Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 1998 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

André Doren

Office of the Minister of International Co-operation

(819) 997-6919

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

Media Relations Office

Canadian International Development Agency

(819) 953-6534

This document is also available on the Department of

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca