Azerbaijan to get 30 mine detection dogs from U.S. by 2023

27 August 2021 15:12 (UTC+04:00)

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By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijan will receive 30 specially trained mine detection dogs from the United States by 2023, Azertag reported on August 27.

As part of the project, Azerbaijani Mine Action Agency Chairman of Board Vugar Suleymanov and U.S. Marshall Legacy Institute President Perry Baltimore signed a memorandum of understanding on August 26.

Azerbaijan's Kapital Bank joined the new project by supporting the process of mine detection and disposal on territories liberated from Armenia's occupation in 2020.

Attending the signing ceremony, International Relations Advisor to Kapital Bank Chairman of the Board Vugar Sadig spoke about the importance of joining the project. He wished the quadrupeds success in this difficult work. One of the dogs was symbolically named "First" by Kapital Bank and was tied to a special bag with the bank's name on it.

On August 25, the Marshall Legacy Institute, the Mine Action Agency representatives, and other organizers received detailed information on the detention, feeding and future accreditation procedures of 10 mine detection dogs earlier brought to Fuzuli on August 23.

Under the second phase of the agreement, the Mine Action Agency will receive the next six mine detection dogs this November.

Eight MINI-donated dogs are expected to be delivered in Azerbaijan in June 2022, and the last six in July 2023. In total, 18 of the 30 dogs will be funded by the US Marshall Legacy Institute through donors.

The funds will be raised in cooperation with the Azerbaijani embassy in Washington and the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce. The mutually beneficial cooperation between the Mine Action Agency and U.S. Marshall Legacy Institute began in 2005 and continues successfully.