Mines are a deadly danger to people, even when the war has long since ended. The United Nations Mine Action Service, UNMAS, carries out a large number of mine clearance programmes worldwide every year, rendering explosive remnants of war harmless in the ground.

The main purpose of the UN Mine Action Trust Fund is to make funds available for clearance projects as quickly as possible. In addition, UNMAS also supports the training of the local population in order to make people aware of the dangers of mines and ammunition.

Since 2022, the UN Trust Fund has also provided technical support for the development of the Black Sea Grain Initiative to ensure the safe export of grain and fertilisers from Ukrainian Black Sea ports amid the Russian war of aggression. In 2023, 21 mine clearance programmes were carried out worldwide thanks to UNMAS to restore the safety of 419 square kilometres of land and 121 kilometres of roads. Now the conflict in the Middle East calls for the organisation’s expertise: In Gaza, UNMAS was able to respond quickly and help the population threatened by explosive remnants of war. Liechtenstein, which has repeatedly supported UNMAS since 1997, is once again doing its part to further reduce the number of mines worldwide.