Damascus, Oct. 21 (SANA) The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management is shifting its approach from responding to disasters after they occur to managing risks and preparing for potential disasters in advance, with the aim of protecting lives and property, Deputy Minister Ahmed Ekzayez told SANA on Wednesday.
Ekzayez said the ministry does not yet have precise figures on the extent of contamination from landmines and unexploded ordnance, however, the National Mine Action Center is developing a strategy to identify contaminated areas and prioritize them based on their proximity to residential areas, agricultural land and grazing areas in the Badia.
He stressed that mine-clearance operations carried out by the National Mine Action Center adhere to recognized national and international standards, assuring that clearing mines is essential to enabling displaced people to return safely and supporting recovery and reconstruction, he said.
The ministry is also coordinating with the National Commission for Missing Persons and other relevant authorities on matters involving human remains and missing persons. This includes facilitating access for specialized teams to identified sites, securing those locations until the teams arrive, maintaining the confidentiality of information and preserving victims’ dignity.
Ekzayez said approximately 3.5 million cubic meters of rubble have been removed so far through cooperation between the ministry, various entities and international and UN organizations. He described rubble management as a comprehensive process that is essential to recovery and rebuilding.
Our vision “Syria without camps” depends on creating suitable conditions in displaced people’s areas of origin and providing basic infrastructure to ensure their voluntary, safe and dignified return, he said.
The ministry is currently working on 1,518 projects, many of which were developed and assessed using national expertise and are now ready for implementation in priority areas. The projects are intended to help displaced people return to their communities, Ekzayez added.
MHD/H.H
