The German Ambassador to Yemen, Thomas Schneider, has stressed the importance of the MASAM Project for Landmine Clearance in Yemen, commending its efforts to protect civilians and mitigate daily life-threatening risks.
Schneider expressed his support for the project's activities due to their paramount importance in protecting the population and mitigating the risks that threaten lives on a daily basis.
This comes as the MASAM Project has succeeded in clearing over half a million mines and various ordnance in Yemeni governorates during the past period.
The diplomat's statements came during a visit he made on Wednesday to the headquarters of the MASAM Project for Landmine Clearance in Marib, accompanied by a delegation, to learn about the humanitarian efforts undertaken by the project in clearing mine-contaminated areas and war remnants, and reducing risks threatening civilian lives.
Schneider emphasized that demining operations represent highly important humanitarian and charitable work, pointing to their vital role in protecting civilians, especially women and children, from the dangers caused by mines, unexploded ordnance, and war remnants.
He also expressed his aspiration to expand demining efforts, and to strengthen awareness programs about their dangers among the community, thereby contributing to reducing their humanitarian impact and saving lives.
He thanked the leadership of the MASAM Project for its invitation to observe its humanitarian activities up close and praised its efforts and the demining teams operating in various Yemeni regions.
During the visit, MASAM Operations Manager in Marib Sean Wells presented the German Ambassador and the accompanying delegation with a photo exhibition featuring samples of mines and unexploded ordnance cleared from several Yemeni areas, along with photos documenting the suffering of mine victims, particularly children and women, as well as the efforts exerted by the project's experts and engineers working in the field.
The diplomat and the delegation also learned about the nature of the project's work, the mechanisms for implementing its humanitarian operations, and the challenges faced by demining teams while performing their tasks of clearing land and securing local communities from the dangers of mines and war remnants.
The project is carried out by Saudi cadres and international experts, through trained Yemeni teams, to remove mines of all types and forms indiscriminately planted in Yemeni lands. It also includes training and capacity building activities for Yemenis in the field.
