International partners pledge continued support for mine action in Libya

TRIPOLI—On 14 May, representatives from ten countries met during the second annual Libya Mine Action Support Group in Tripoli. Together, they reaffirmed that mine action remains critical to protection of civilians and to stability and long-term peacebuilding in Libya and pledged to continue their support for Libyan-led efforts to address explosive contamination and strengthen civilian safety in affected areas.

The meeting, which brought together diplomatic and military representatives from the European Union, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Tunisia, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom, aimed to strengthen a coordinated international support for mine action efforts in Libya. This second meeting of the Mine Action Support Group was hosted by the Ambassador of Italy to Libya, Gianluca Alberini at the Italian Embassy in Tripoli, who co-chaired the meeting together with the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General/Resident Coordinator (DSRSG/RC) in Libya, Ulrika Richardson.

Discussions focused on the humanitarian, socio-economic, and security impact of explosive remnants of war and unsafe ammunition storage, including the continued risks posed to civilians by ammunition depots located near residential areas across the country. According to the Libyan Mine Action Centre, more than 688 million square metres of confirmed or suspected hazardous areas have been identified across Libya since 2011, affecting residential areas, agricultural land, and critical infrastructure. Since May 2020, explosive ordnance incidents have resulted in 487 casualties, including 175 fatalities and 312 injuries, among them 87 children. Meeting participants underscored the need for concerted efforts to avoid future human tragedies as a result of explosive ordnances in Libya.

Participants noted that mine action efforts in Libya continue to face challenges, including limited technical capacity, restricted operational access, and funding shortfalls relative to the scale of contamination. While 219 million square metres of land have been released through survey and clearance operations since the 2020 ceasefire, contamination continues to affect communities across Libya, including in southern Tripoli, Misrata, Sirte, Gharyan, Mizda, Benghazi, Tubruq, Murzuq, and Sabha.

Participants emphasized the importance of national ownership and leadership as well as sustained international support for Libyan-led mine action efforts, including through capacity building,bilateral cooperation, and support to national institutions working in mine action and weapons and ammunition management. They also underscored the need for coordinated international engagement that aligns advocacy and messaging while strengthening nationally led efforts.

To facilitate this, participants stressed the importance of elevating mine action and ammunition management discussions within the International Security Working Group of the Berlin Process.

DSRSG/RC Richardson recalled the Secretary-General’s message for the 2026 International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action that “investment in Mine Action is investment in Peace.” She called for continued efforts to mitigate risks posed by ammunition stored in residential areas, protect civilians—including children—and accelerate recovery and development.

“Mine action remains not only a humanitarian necessity, but also an important enabler of stabilization, local peacebuilding and safe return,” she said.

Ambassador Alberini expressed pride in Italy’s longstanding commitment to supporting mine action efforts in Libya, and highlighted important training provided by the Italian Bilateral Mission for Assistance and Support in Libya.

The Ambassador also praised the work being done to address the threat posed by explosive remnants of war and explosive ordnance across the county, highlighting the response to the August 2025 explosion in Misratah, which was led by the Libyan Mine Action Centre and partners with UN support. The blast originated from an ammunition depot located in a populated area, where unstable munitions ignited and triggered a large explosion. It affected a three-to-four-kilometre radius, injuring at least 21 people and damaging multiple commercial buildings and homes.

“We witnessed, at the site of the explosion, the professionalism in carrying out clearance operations and explosive ordnance risk education activities,” he said.