Bohdan Drapiatyi: Japan continues its steadfast support to Ukraine in the field of demining
This was emphasized by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine during his visit to Japan, which was a continuation of his working trip to the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Ukrainian delegation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Economy held meetings with the leadership of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and discussed further steps to develop cooperation in the field of mine action.
As a result of Russia's full-scale invasion, more than 156,000 square kilometers of Ukraine are considered potentially mined. More than a year ago, this figure was 174,000 square kilometers. As Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Bohdan Drapiatyi said during the inaugural meeting with JICA leadership, thanks to the efforts of Ukrainian sappers and the support of international partners, more than 18,000 square kilometers of territory have been surveyed and cleared of mines.
"We are grateful to the Government of Japan and JICA for supporting the capabilities of Ukrainian sappers. During the full-scale war, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine received over USD 30 million in technical assistance from JICA. These include specialized crane trucks, vehicles for personnel transportation, modern metal detectors, and protective equipment. But our most important joint project is the development of the SES Training Center, which will train sappers and test the latest equipment," said Bohdan Drapiatyi.
During the meeting with the Ukrainian delegation, Senior Vice President of JICA Katsura Miyazaki expressed her support for the people of Ukraine in the disastrous war unleashed by Russia. She also emphasized Japan's readiness to provide long-term assistance to our country in the field of mine action and reconstruction.
Junko Masuda, Director General of JICA's Governance and Peacebuilding Department, noted that our countries have a successful history of cooperation and mutual understanding.
"Ukraine has shown everyone its resilience and commitment to development. We support and contribute to this. JICA has prepared a project that identifies the basic directions for the restoration and development of Ukraine. We also focused on strengthening the demining capabilities of the SES explosive ordnance disposal specialists. That's why it was so important for us that you visit Cambodia and get acquainted with the СМАС experience. I was glad to hear your positive feedback. СМАС has been engaged in demining, training, and testing of the latest equipment for over 30 years. I am convinced that thanks to their experience and new methods, Ukraine will need much less time to clear its territory of explosive ordnance," Ms. Masuda emphasized.
The Ukrainian delegation also visited the NIKKEN mechanized demining machine production facility and a training center for special vehicles operators in Yamanashi Prefecture. As confirmed by JICA, the SES explosive ordnance disposal specialists will receive 22 mechanized demining machines from the Government of Japan. Of these, 12 will be manufactured by NIKKEN and another 10 by other Japanese manufacturer.
"We saw these machines in operation in the minefields of Cambodia. These are modern, efficient machines, and there are no such machines in Ukraine yet. We expect 14 units from the Government of Japan and JICA by the end of this year, and the remaining 8 units by April next year," said Bohdan Drapiatyi.
For reference: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is a government agency that coordinates official development assistance, promotes economic and social growth in developing countries and their international cooperation.
Department of Communication of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
