The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Establishes Inter-Factional Parliamentary Coalescence “Mine Action”
Ukraine now holds the tragic distinction of being the most mine-contaminated country in the world. Approximately 139,000 square kilometers of our territory remain potentially hazardous due to landmines and explosive remnants of war. Alarmingly, this area continues to grow as a result of ongoing hostilities. These explosive threats will endanger lives, slow the return of displaced communities, and hamper Ukraine’s recovery and economic development for decades.
Traditional methods of demining, while effective, are far too slow to meet the scale of Ukraine’s challenge. The World Bank estimates that full clearance of our territory would cost at least $37 billion USD. However, innovative technologies—such as AI-powered analytics, satellite imagery, and unmanned systems—are already being deployed in Ukraine and can make humanitarian demining faster, safer, and significantly more cost-effective.
To fully unlock the potential of these innovations, we must modernize Ukraine’s regulatory framework for mine action. The current law has been in place since 2019 and no longer meets the realities on the ground.
Recognizing this need, the Verkhovna Rada has established an Inter-Factional Parliamentary Coalescence "Mine Action" to spearhead legislative reforms and promote a systematic approach to demining.
The main objectives of the Coalescence include:
- Drafting, submitting, and advocating for a new version of the Law of Ukraine "On Mine Action."
- Ensuring strong parliamentary oversight over demining efforts and mine action policy.
- Fostering cooperation with parliaments of other countries, international organizations, donors, mine action operators, Ukrainian state bodies, territorial communities, and civil society.
- Analyzing Ukraine’s demining results and integrating global best practices and innovations into national legislation.
People’s Deputies Oleksandr Gorenyuk and Ihor Gerasymenko have been elected as co-chairs of the Coalescence. The Inter-Factional Parliamentary coalescence currently unites 13 MPs across multiple factions and groups within the Verkhovna Rada.
The Ukrainian Association for Humanitarian Demining and Recovery has been appointed to serve as the Secretariat of the Inter-Factional Association, supporting its work and coordination efforts.