MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Sullivan
As Australia's Special Representative on Demining, I am pleased to be leading Australia's delegation to an historic three-day conference on global demining in Washington next week (20-22 May).
Millions of landmines are a daily threat to civilians in more than 70 countries. It is estimated that landmines claim a victim every 20 minutes and, tragically, children constitute almost half those casualties.
Countries that are part of the international effort to rid the world of the scourge of landmines have been invited by the United States' Government to attend the three-day Conference on Global Humanitarian Demining.
The aim of the conference is to develop mechanisms for better coordination of demining operations, and a global strategy for elimination of the landmine threat to civilians by the year 2010.
This is an excellent opportunity for countries around the world to act together to increase the rate of mine removal.
The Howard Government believes that high level participation at the Conference underlines Australia's place at the forefront of global demining efforts.
On behalf of Australia, I shall stress our commitment to a coordinated approach to demining operations around the world, and reinforce Australia's belief that individual countries affected by landmines should be assisted to develop and plan their own demining programs.
All Australians can be proud of our excellent reputation for managerial and technical demining skills.
We have a well-deserved reputation for sharing those skills and our demining experience with local and national organisations to help them deal effectively with their landmine problems into the future.
Australia expects to commit $100 million for demining and related activities over the 10-year period to the year 2005.
Media contacts:
Judi Nixon (Mrs Sullivan's office) 0755 911 011/0411 287 258
Carol Haffke (AusAID) 02 6206 4966/0417 683 767