On Saturday 30 March, Yemen’s President awarded Project Masam with the Order of Bravery for its humanitarian landmine clearance efforts to clear Yemen of landmines and other remnants of war.
His Excellency Yemeni President Dr. Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Yemen, honoured Project Masam with the award.
Project Masam was represented by Managing Director Ousama Algosaibi while the National Mine Action Programme represented by its Director Brigadier General Ameen Al-Aqili.
On 26 June 2023, the Chairman of the PLC issued two decisions to grant Project Masam and the National Mine Action Programme the Medal of Bravery in recognition of their role in clearing Yemeni territory of landmines, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) planted by Iran-backed Houthi militia, as well as in appreciation and commemoration of fallen colleagues, who sacrificed their lives for the safety of the Yemeni people and future generations.
During the ceremony, Algosaibi expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to the Chairman of the PLC for the award.
In a press statement, meanwhile, Algosaibi said, “In my name and on behalf of all employees of Project Masam, we dedicate this honour to the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Highness the Crown Prince, may God protect them for the Support and assistance they offer to neighbourly Yemen through many humanitarian projects that have alleviated the suffering of the Yemeni people caused by the Houthi militia.”
Algosaibi added that Project Masam has managed to clear 55,390,882 square metres, and extract 436,376 mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and UXO since its launch including 6,494 anti-personnel mines, 143,951 anti-tank mines, 277,920 UXO, in addition to 8,011 IEDs, stressing the project’s determination to fulfil its humanitarian mission – a life without mines.
Over the past years, 33 Project Masam personnel were killed, while 47 others sustained varying injuries in the course of duty.
For his part, Brigadier General Al-Aqili, told the Yemeni News Agency (SABA) that “the programme has removed more than 800,000 landmines and remnants of war left by the terrorist militias, bringing the total number of mines and UXO removed through the programme’s teams and partners in the Saudi project to more than one million and 250 thousand since 2015.”
The ceremony was attended by the Director of the Republic Presidency Office, Dr. Yahya Al-Shuaibi, the Director of the Office of the Supreme Commander, Major General Ahmed Al-Aqili, and the Director of the Office of the President of the Presidential Leadership Council, Major General Saleh Al-Maqaleh.
The ceremony was also attended by the Executive Director of the National Mine Action Programme, Brigadier General Haitham Halboub, the Assistant Managing Director of Project Masam Qassim bin Mohammed Al-Dosari, and a number of the project’s officials.
