MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Billson
As Australia's Special Representative for Mine Action, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bruce Billson, will lead an Australian delegation to Sri Lanka and the Nairobi Summit on a Mine Free World from 27 November to 3 December 2004.
Mr Billson will visit Australian funded mine action projects in Sri Lanka and attend the 2-3 December Nairobi Summit to reaffirm Australia's strong commitment to effective international mine action.
'As one of the original signatories of the Ottawa Convention, Australia is a leading contributor to international mine action, through mine clearance, mine awareness, victim assistance, stockpile destruction activities and Treaty compliance,' Mr Billson said.
'Landmines cause more than 15,000 casualties each year with 85 per cent of victims being civilians and tens of millions of landmines still remain in place, ready to kill and maim innocent people going about their everyday lives.
'Even one landmine accident or death is too many. Australia will continue to work to reduce the threat landmines pose in our region, including the identification of new mine strategies to help people regain their livelihoods.
'Landmines are also a serious obstacle to development - stripping the labour force of productive workers, preventing the planting of crops and placing an enormous burden on health systems.
'In Sri Lanka, from 1999 to 2003, Australia played an important role in supporting international community efforts to clear landmines from 18.7 million square metres of land and enabling more than 300,000 people to return to their homes.
'South-East Asia is one of the world's most heavily-mined regions and in line with the overall priorities of Australia's aid program, the majority of Australia's mine action activity is in our region.
'While 143 states are now party to the Convention, including East Timor and Papua New Guinea, Australia strongly urges other countries, particularly in our region to accede to the Convention,' Mr Billson said.
In the decade ending December 2005, the Australian Government is providing more than $100 million toward mine action activities.
Media inquiries:
Shane Fairlie (Mr Billson's Office) (02) 6277 4879 or 0408 680 442
Dominic Morice (AusAID) (02) 6206 4220 or 0417 683 126