The 4th International Mine Action Conference, was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 2-3 September 2026. It was organised by the Azerbaijani national agency for humanitarian demining, ANAMA, and the United Nations. The Head of the European Union Delegation in Baku, Ambassador Marijana Kujundzic addressed the conference on 3 September, and reaffirmed the determination of the European Union to work globally for the eradication of landmine contamination. She said, "mine action is about far more than clearing contaminated land. It is about creating the conditions for people to return, for homes and public infrastructure to be rebuilt, and for communities to recover a sense of normality, stability and hope" The title — “Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements” — captures both the urgency of the task and the level of ambition required to meet it. It reminds us of a fundamental truth: urban recovery cannot begin where land is unsafe, where infrastructure is contaminated, and where communities cannot return with confidence. Humanitarian demining is therefore not only a security imperative, but also a precondition for recovery, reconstruction and human dignity. I know from my own country’s experience that mine action is about far more than clearing contaminated land. It is about creating the conditions for people to return, for homes and public infrastructure to be rebuilt, and for communities to recover a sense of normality, stability and hope. Croatia’s experience has shown that mine action and reconstruction must go hand in hand. Recovery is most effective when it is guided by long-term planning, strong institutions and, above all, the needs of affected communities. In Azerbaijan, this reality is especially visible. The EU recognises and praises Azerbaijan’s major efforts on the ground, especially the work led by ANAMA and all operational actors involved in surveying, clearing, educating, and assisting affected communities. We are proud to stand with Azerbaijan in this effort. This is why the conference theme is so timely. If we speak of urban recovery, we must also speak of standards. If we speak of safe settlements, we must also speak of excellence. A settlement is not safe simply because explosive hazards have been removed. A settlement is safe when: families can return without fear; children can walk to school securely; public services can function again; reconstruction can proceed according to clear standards; and communities can rebuild their lives with confidence in the future. (read her remarks to the conference in full by clicking the picture).

On Thursday (3 September), in an important speech to the 4th International Mine Action Conference, organised in Baku by ANAMA and the United Nations, Ambassador Elchin Amirbayov, Representative of the President of Azerbaijan on special assignments, spoke about the importance of mine action in the wider context of peace, with particular reference to the South Caucasus. He said: "Azerbaijan and Armenia have a unique opportunity to turn a page. The political process has created the conditions for a different South Caucasus — one based on peace, connectivity, economic cooperation and good-neighbourly relations. But if we want peace to be sustainable, durable and irreversible, we must remove the remnants of war both from the ground and from existing political and legal framework. Because:  above all, peace needs the next generation to inherit a landscape without mines – both beneath the ground and in our discourse. So the idea is to turn mine action from a legacy of war into an instrument of peace. Jointly, we can accelerate this. And let us make sure that, when we speak about peace in the South Caucasus, we are not speaking only about the absence of war. Let us make peace something people can walk on, live on, build on — and pass on to their children". (click the image to read the speech in full)

Kazakhstan held parliamentary elections last week, under a new constitution. They were far from perfect, as international observers noted, but they heralded a new era in Kazakh politics. President Tokayev has to thread carefully, and balance various interests – not least Putin’s Russia, which considers Kazakhstan an artificial creation, that should always be under Russian control. China has been nibbling into Russian interests in Central Asia, but doing it in its own way, mainly through the many economic tools that it possesses. But Central Asia countries, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, now also want to develop their relations with Europe and the west. And internally they are slowly reforming too. This process needs to be supported and encouraged. Kazakhstan’s first unicameral parliament, called Kurultai, began its work following the country’s constitutional reforms, and elections, replacing the former two-chamber Parliament. Of its 145 deputies, 111 are new members, while women now hold nearly one-third of the seats and youth representation has increased. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on lawmakers to modernize legislation and bring existing laws into line with the new Constitution. Key priorities include digitalization, artificial intelligence, migration policy and social legislation. The elections held on 23 August “were technically well-prepared”, according to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, one of the organisations that observed the elections, “but took place in an environment lacking political pluralism”. Political choice was limited, as all contesting parties supported the incumbent President’s policies. The campaign was orderly with equal conditions, though the new Adilet party held an undue advantage. Laws revised shortly before the vote with limited consultation fall short of international standards on political participation. (click image to read more)

The 4th International Mine Action Conference is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 2 - 3 September 2026. The event is hosted by ANAMA, the Azerbaijani Mine action agency and the United Nations. The conference, which attracts hundreds of particpants from all over the world, opened with a message from president Ilham Aliyev, delivered to the coonference by senior presidential administration official, Hikmet Hajiyev. The theme of the conference is HUMANITARIAN DEMINING FOR URBAN RECOVERY; SETTING STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR SAFE SETTLEMENTS. President Aliyev in his message said, "Unfortunately, mines and unexploded ordnance continue to threaten human life and security in many countries around the world. Long after conflicts have ended, explosive ordnance continues to cause loss of life, injury to civilians, damage to infrastructure and delay reconstruction projects. In this regard, humanitarian demining is an essential commitment to safe settlements. Urban reconstruction in post-conflict areas requires the restoration of buildings, roads and public infrastructure, as well as the establishment of security and confidence. No city, village or town can be fully rebuilt, no school or hospital can function safely, no family can return to their homes with dignity, and no economic activity can develop sustainably until the land is cleared of mines and explosive remnants of war. Humanitarian demining is therefore at the heart of urban reconstruction and the creation of safe settlements. (click image to read more).