In keeping true to their word, the Estonian Foreign Ministry is donating 200,000 kroons (13,000 Euro) to help the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action in Afghanistan.
"Afghanistan is one of the most mine-damaged countries in the world,"said Foreign Minister Urmas Paet.
"By donating to the demining efforts,Estonia is supporting the restoration of a normal and safe livingenvironment," he added. An estimated 700 million square meters of land in Afghanistan are covered by mines. In accordance with the Ottawa Convention, which forbids theuse, storage, production and passing on of infantry mines and requirestheir destruction, Afghanistan must clear its mine fields by 2013.
Estonia has contributed to the Ottawa Convention since 2006 and in 2006, Estonia was a co-reviewer on the Ottawa Convention's stockpiledestruction committee, and in 2007 Estonia served as co-chairman of thesame committee.
