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The Canadian government is funding a multimillion-dollar “gender-inclusive” effort in Ukraine to remove landmines and explosive ordnance from the war-torn country, a government official confirmed.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office announced last week that the nation was committing $3.02 billion CAD, or roughly $2.2 billion USD, in financial and military support for Ukraine, as war rages in the country. The press release detailed several initiatives within the funding package, including $4 million CAD, or just under $3 million USD, for an initiative dubbed, “Gender-inclusive demining for sustainable futures in Ukraine.”
“This project from the HALO Trust aims to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of Ukrainians, including women and internally displaced persons, by addressing the threat of explosive ordnance present across vast areas of the country,” the press release on the funding stated.
“Project activities include conducting non-technical surveys and subsequent manual clearance in targeted communities; providing capacity building to key national stakeholders; and establishing a gender and diversity working group to promote gender-transformative mine action in Ukraine.”
In this photo provided by the National Police of Ukraine, firefighters work to extinguish a fire after a Russian attack on an apartment building area in the town of Uman, 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, April 28, 2023. (National Police of Ukraine via AP)
Feb. 24 marked the second year since Russia officially invaded Ukraine, with Trudeau visiting Ukraine’s capital on the anniversary.
“While in Kyiv February 24, Prime Minister Trudeau and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, held a bilateral meeting to discuss the situation on the ground and Ukraine’s needs over the coming months and the two leaders signed a new, historic agreement on security cooperation between Canada and Ukraine to establish a strategic security partnership. As part of this commitment, Canada will provide $3.02 billion in critical financial and military support to Ukraine in 2024,” the spokesperson added.
