Two Estonian experts dispatched to Mali demining mission

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Photo: Ove Maidla

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Center (EODC) of the Estonian Rescue Board dispatched two of its experts to Mali in mid-July to join the Swedish-led humanitarian mine clearing mission there.

The mission is great recognition for Estonian mine clearance, the Rescue Board said. Estonia contributed one expert to the previous Mali mission that lasted from March till July.

«The Swedes would certainly like to use more our experts than we're able to provide owing to our small size,» EODC head Arno Pugonen said.

The main objective of the humanitarian demining mission in Mali is to train and supervise local bomb experts. The mission does not entail direct expenses for the Rescue Board.

As a result of the conflict between government forces and insurgents thousands of square kilometers of Mali's territory have turned into minefields and become contaminated with unexploded ordnance that endangers the life and health of the civilian population.

The information and experience gained through the Mali mission will be valuable also for better development of explosive ordnance disposal in Estonia.

The cooperation between EODC and the Swedish civil contingencies agency MSB began in 2009.

Estonian bomb experts have previously worked in Afghanistan (2002-2005) and assisted Georgia with demining after the military conflict with Russia in 2008. Last year they took part in the MSB mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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