The Marshal Legacy Institute has named an ANAMA employee and a mine detection dog the “Best Mine Detection Dog Team of the Year.”
One of the leading U.S. non-governmental organizations in the field of humanitarian demining, the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI), has named Vusal Allahverdiyev, an employee of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), and his mine detection dog Ben-Mace as the Best Mine Detection Dog Team of 2025.
The award will be presented at MLI’s annual gala to be held in Washington, D.C. On this occasion, ANAMA representatives Vusal Allahverdiyev and Rahman Asgarov traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the event.
In connection with this significant achievement, a ceremony was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the United States. The event was attended by members of MLI’s Board of Directors, representatives of sponsor organizations, and experts from institutions specializing in humanitarian demining.
Speakers at the event included Vusala Mehdiyeva, Counselor of the Embassy, Elise Becker, President of the Marshall Legacy Institute, and Vusal Allahverdiyev, ANAMA employee. In their remarks, they highlighted the large-scale landmine problem faced by Azerbaijan, emphasized the importance of international support in this area, highly appreciated the assistance provided by the United States and the Marshall Legacy Institute within the framework of their 20-year cooperation, and underscored the importance of continuing this partnership.
Later, a demonstration was held for the participants showcasing the detection and neutralization of a simulated landmine with the participation of the mine detection dog.
The cooperation between ANAMA and the Marshall Legacy Institute has a 20-year history. Since 2005, MLI has provided 100 mine detection dogs to Azerbaijan.
