Umud Mirzayev, President of the International Eurasia Press Fund, met with Huseyn Huseynov, Head of the Sustainable Development and Social Policy Department at Azerbaijan's Ministry of Economy and Secretary of the National Coordination Council for Sustainable Development. The meeting focused on the groundbreaking initiative to establish landmines as the 18th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
The discussions highlighted the progress made in implementing the SDGs in Azerbaijan in recent years, IEPF's extensive activities, and plans for mine safety at both international and local levels.
Umud Mirzayev emphasized the significance of the project "Support for the Initiatives to Add the Mine Problem as the 18th Goal of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for a World Free from Landmines," funded by the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This project aims to advocate for including mine action as the 18th SDG of the United Nations.
The initiative seeks to address the humanitarian crisis caused by landmines and create a safer world for future generations. During the meeting, it was also discussed that a side event will be held at the Geneva Peace Week at the UN office in Geneva from October 14-18. This event will provide information on the landmine problem and landmine victims in Azerbaijan and call for international support for the SDG 18 initiative.