JUBA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudan Mine Action Authority on Friday announced a new target to rid the country of landmines and unexploded ordnance by 2030.

Jurkuch Barach Jurkuch, chairperson of South Sudan's National Mine Action Authority, said the initial deadline had been set for 2021, but a lack of donor support forced authorities to extend the timeline.

"We are going now to ask for an extension request for us to go up to 2030 to be supported internationally. It is the support from the international community that we managed to clear a greater part of the land from this yoke of dangerous weapons," Barach said in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, during the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.

He noted that before South Sudan gained independence in 2011, many major and feeder roads were littered with landmines and unexploded ordnance, posing significant risks to civilians and travelers.

Barach revealed that approximately 200 square km of land remain contaminated, with clearance operations still ongoing in the Greater Equatoria region and parts of Bahr El Ghazal and Upper Nile regions.

He added that South Sudan destroyed its stockpiles of landmines in 2008 in line with its obligations under the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, deputy special representative of the UN secretary-general and resident coordinator in South Sudan, emphasized the need for collective action to support mine clearance efforts.

Observed on April 4 annually, the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action brings together partners across South Sudan to underscore the importance of mine action in safeguarding communities from the lingering threat of explosive remnants of war. Enditem

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