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MASAM Director to Asharq Al-Awsat: Demining Efforts Will Cover All Yemeni Territory

Members of a Yemeni military demining unit prepare to destroy unexploded bombs and mines collected from Aden, Yemen August 2017. (Reuters)
Members of a Yemeni military demining unit prepare to destroy unexploded bombs and mines collected from Aden, Yemen August 2017. (Reuters)
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MASAM Director to Asharq Al-Awsat: Demining Efforts Will Cover All Yemeni Territory

Members of a Yemeni military demining unit prepare to destroy unexploded bombs and mines collected from Aden, Yemen August 2017. (Reuters)
Members of a Yemeni military demining unit prepare to destroy unexploded bombs and mines collected from Aden, Yemen August 2017. (Reuters)

Program Manager of the Saudi Project for Landmines Clearance in Yemen (MASAM) Ousama Al-Gosaibi revealed that over 400 specialists have been tasked with ridding Yemen of mines.

He stressed to Asharq Al-Awsat that this humanitarian project aims at clearing mines throughout the country, without discriminating between one region and another.

The 40-million dollar one-year project will be implemented over five phases. It will start with the equipping and training of the personnel, preparing the specialized demining teams, sending them to the field and later relaying their expertise to Yemeni cadres. MASAM is being implemented with Saudi and global expertise, stressed Gosaibi.

Saudi Arabia’s support for Yemen has been one of the Kingdom’s top priorities for decades, he said, underlining the neighborly, religious, social and familial ties that bind the peoples of both countries.

MASAM was funded by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), which has been offering and continuing to offer humanitarian projects for the war-torn country, he remarked. These efforts have exceeded 1.6 billion dollars.

MASAM seeks to clear the mines that have been arbitrarily planted by the Iran-backed Houthi militias throughout Yemen, most notably in Marib, Aden, Sanaa and Taiz, Gosaibi said. It also seeks to help the Yemeni people overcome the humanitarian tragedy that has resulted from the mines.

Preliminary statistics revealed by Yemeni officials showed that the militias planted nearly one million mines throughout the country.

Gosaibi highlighted in this regard the efforts of the KSRelief-funded prosthetics center in Marib that has so far provided prosthetic limbs to over 195 mine victims, who are often women and children.

MASAM field teams have been in Marib for two months to begin their mine clearance mission. Thirty-two demining teams consisting of over 400 people are operating in Yemen.

He underlined the close cooperation between MASAM and the national Yemeni demining project, saying that each one complements the other.

The Saudi project will focus on sensitive areas that have high populations. It will tackle the provinces of Marib, Aden, Taiz and Sanaa in its first phase, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

After this phase is complete, MASAM will turn to mines planted in desert regions.

MASAM also boasts rapid intervention experts and others specialized in defusing explosives, Gosaibi said.

The Saudi project, he reiterated, does not discriminate between Yemeni regions. It launched its operations to achieve purely humanitarian goals regardless of the developments in Yemen.

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UN Coordinator in Syria: Optimistic About Reconstruction if Transition Succeeds

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula (Asharq Al-Awsat)
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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UN Coordinator in Syria: Optimistic About Reconstruction if Transition Succeeds

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula (Asharq Al-Awsat)
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Since 2012, the United Nations Resident Coordinator's developmental role in Syria has been put on hold by the UN. However, the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad’s regime has revived this role.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Adam Abdelmoula, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, outlined plans for reconstruction in partnership with the new government in Damascus.

Abdelmoula expressed “great optimism” about Syria’s rebuilding but stressed that the key to rapid recovery is the “success of the transition.”

He explained that this means the transitional period—until a new constitution is agreed upon and an elected government is formed—must be secure and supported by consensus among all Syrians.

Additionally, momentum is building for Syria’s reconstruction, with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries proposing an international donor conference next spring to raise funds.

Abdelmoula said the UN is consulting with the new Syrian administration to prepare projects and cost estimates for the event.

The UN is preparing aid and technical support for Syria’s new administration, along with a development plan focusing on rebuilding infrastructure, restoring electricity, reviving health services, and supporting agriculture and irrigation to boost the economy.

“We’ve informed the new administration of our work through a letter sent to the foreign minister,” said Abdelmoula.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the UN’s “early recovery strategy,” launched last November, is still in place, though its fund has yet to be registered with the trust fund office in New York.

He promised to prioritize its registration and said: “When reconstruction begins in Syria, we will work to establish a dedicated reconstruction fund.”

As for relying on donors for rebuilding Syria, Abdelmoula said: “The UN doesn’t have the billions of dollars needed, but lessons from similar crises show the importance of focusing on strategic priorities, especially rebuilding the economic foundations.”

Abdelmoula noted that UN agencies can secure funding from donors who support development activities in various countries, a process that had been stalled in Syria for over a decade.

“Since the fall of the Syrian regime, many countries, particularly Arab and neighboring ones, have provided significant aid, and this is expected to increase,” he said.

“There are also positive signals from donors, especially Europeans, about boosting humanitarian aid, including continuing the annual Brussels Conference to support Syria,” added Abdelmoula.

He revealed that the mission has learned the European Union will resume hosting the conference this year, despite the fall of Assad’s regime.

The UN official addressed Syria’s sanctions, stating that those harming the Syrian people should be lifted.

He noted that the recent Riyadh meeting showed a strong intention from key international players to ease or fully lift the sanctions.

Abdelmoula pointed out the US decision to suspend some sanctions for six months and mentioned an upcoming EU foreign ministers' meeting to discuss either lifting or easing sanctions to support Syria’s economy, humanitarian aid, banking, and market access.

He explained that some sanctions are imposed by countries like the US, Germany, France, and the UK, which are discussing the best way forward. However, he said fully lifting sanctions may take time due to laws like the US Caesar Act.

Abdelmoula stressed that efforts should focus on reducing the impact of sanctions under the Caesar Act and working to pass new legislation to cancel it. He said this should also apply to sanctions from other countries in the form of laws.

He explained that lifting sanctions would make it easier for the UN and help both the Syrian government and people. A direct benefit would be Syria’s ability to access direct funding, concessional loans from international funds and the World Bank, and grants.

Abdelmoula explained that the UN’s humanitarian work in Syria focuses on helping people in need, regardless of which political group controls the area.

“Our efforts have included people in regions outside the former regime's control in northwestern and northeastern Syria,” he said.

As the UN Resident Coordinator, Abdelmoula represents the UN in the country.

“The government recognized until December 8 was Bashar al-Assad’s, which is why my credentials were sent to it, as is the usual practice,” he noted.

Abdelmoula also pointed out that the UN’s development work in Syria was halted since 2012 due to a UN decision.

“After the regime fell, we announced that we would resume our development work,” he affirmed.