TRIPOLI - On 7 April, UNMSIL’s Mine Action Programme, together with the Libyan Mine Action Centre (LibMAC) and national and international mine action organizations held a commemoration ceremony in Tripoli to mark the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action under the theme “Invest in Peace, Invest in Mine Action.”
The event brought together around 100 participants, including representatives of mine action organizations, the Military Engineering Directorate, the Weapons and Ammunition Directorate, the Forensic Police, and the National Safety Authority, as well as delegations from Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, the European Union, Türkiye, and the Republic of Korea.
Fatma Zourrig, Chief of the Mine Action Programme, said that investing in mine action means investing in people, in their safety, stability, and future. She noted that mine action is not only technical work, but also contributes to protecting civilians, supporting safe returns, and enabling recovery and stability across Libya.
Referring to the Skirat incident in Misrata and the continued contamination recorded by LibMAC in southern Tripoli, Sirte, Tobruq, and the south, she said: “Peace is not achieved through agreements alone, but by removing the sources of danger that threaten people’s lives every day. Wherever there is a willingness to work together, you will find us as partners in support of safer and more stable communities.”
Brigadier General Khalil El-Shibli, Director of LibMAC, presented the main steps under the upcoming five-year Libyan mine action strategy and noted that consultations had been completed with military and security institutions, as well as the planning, health, and education sectors, ahead of its announcement. He also expressed appreciation for the partnership with the United Nations in Libya as well the continued support of the international community to mine action efforts in the country.
NGOs partners achievements in 2025 included the removal of 92,295 explosive remnants of war and the delivery of risk education to 24,481 beneficiaries. The clearance of Tripoli Zoo was also led to the recovery of 4,036 mines and other explosive ordnance by NGOs, and the Forensic Police. Cluster munitions were noted as one of the main challenges encountered during the operation.
A video prepared by Forensic Police, that was screened at the event, also showed the safe removal of 22 tons of explosive ordnance by their teams in 2025, before the event concluded with an interactive panel discussion with representatives of Mine Action Programme, LibMAC, the Ministry of Planning, and the Military Engineering Directorate mainly ways to advance future cooperation between operators in mine action sector and joint work in support of stronger national capacity.
