Queen Noor of Jordan has travelled to the troubled South American nation of Colombia as part of her long-running efforts to rid the world of landmines. King Hussein's widow jetted into the capital Bogota to show her support for the country's government when it made good on a commitment to do away with its mines.
Standing side-by-side with President Alvaro Uribe, the 53-year-old watched army experts destroy 7,000 of the deadly weapons in a series of deafening explosions. Decades of paramilitary conflict have left the nation with thousands of the devices buried around its countryside.
"Colombia has been ravaged by internal conflict," said the royal visitor. "And it is unique in the world for being in conflict and at the same time destroying its stocks of landmines. It takes a lot of courage for the armed forces to take these kinds of decisions."
Noor also found time to visit a craft fair in the town of Morroa, which is in one of the worst affected areas. The UN ambassador was given a warm welcome by local people, who invited her to inspect their handicrafts and take a few souvenirs home.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
