Swiss Foreign Minister Warns Of Ukraine's Demining Challenge

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has warned of the "enormity" of the demining challenge in Ukraine, a few months ahead of a ministerial conference on the issue in Geneva. On Thursday in New York, he said that the conference would address, among other things, the effects on food security.

This content was published on February 22, 2024 - 20:24 2 minutes Keystone-SDA

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The effects of the contamination of this country after two years of conflict“go far beyond its borders”, he said at a meeting at the UN organised by Italy, which chairs the Mine Action Support Group. A 10% increase in the price of bread in New York or Geneva does not have the same impact as in a country where the median income is between $1 and $2 (CHF0.88 and CHF2).

Cassis announced that the next preparatory meeting of the ministerial conference, due to take place in Geneva in October, would be held in Kyiv in April. He also called for political discussions to“accelerate” efforts to clear mines from Ukrainian territory.

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Cassis is due to speak on the subject of Ukraine on several occasions in New York on Friday, including at the General Assembly and the Security Council.

Translated from German by DeepL/amva

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