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General Assembly Official Records, 72nd Session : 66th Plenary Meeting, Thursday, 7 December 2017, New York, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

Ms. Radwan (Saudi Arabia) (spoke in Arabic): My delegation joined in the consensus adoption of resolution 72/75 to provide assistance in mine action because we believe in the importance of the issue and the need to provide assistance to the United Nations Mine Action Service and the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action.At the same time, we deeply denounce the provision of $14 million to what the report called the Ministry of Education of Yemen, which is an entity affiliated with the Houthi rebel militias, who are planting thousands of mines within Yemen and along the borders of …

Clearing Landmines And Building Peace In Colombia, Vanessa Finson, Giovanni Diffidenti

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In 2015, the government of Colombia and las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarais de Colombia - Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) invited Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), to develop a joint pilot project to survey and clear anti- personnel mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). The project was a first of its kind in terms of the composition of the teams: two warring parties working side-by-side, and a means to help build trust and de-escalate the conflict during the Colombian peace process. In 2016, NPA commissioned photojournalist Giovanni Diffidenti to visit Santa Helena and El Orejón to capture the historic demining project in …

Humanitarian Mine Action And Ieds, Craig Mcinally, Hans Risser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) has been operational in improvised explosive device (IED) clearance in Hamdaniya, Iraq, since January 2017. Additionally, MAG (Mines Advisory Group) has operated in the same area clearing IEDs since September 2015 and has had operations in many parts of both Iraq and Syria. Other nongovernmental organizations (NGO) clearing IEDs include Handicap International and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD). Without question, IED clearance is now an established part of humanitarian mine action (HMA). Yet this does not mean HMA should adopt the full spectrum of IED disposal (IEDD) operations. Rather, NGOs can provide invaluable capacity …

Addressing The Explosive Hazard Threat In Northern Syria: Risk Education On Landmines, Uxo, Booby Traps, And Ieds, Louise Skilling, Marysia Zapasnik

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Explosive hazards pose a great threat to civilians in Syria. A rapid return of displaced people usually occurs as soon as an area is declared newly taken. During this period, there is limited medical and explosive clearance capacity although there are high risks from explosive hazards, including booby traps and improvised explosive devices (IED) specifically targeting civilians in their homes. This article focuses on addressing the threat of explosive hazards in northern Syria and draws on risk education material designed by humanitarian mine action

From The Director, Ken Rutherford

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This June, the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR) partnered with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) to facilitate the Southeast Asia Cluster Munition Remnants Survey (CMRS) Workshop in Washington, D.C. This two-day event, hosted by the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA), brought together a number of organizations working in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to discuss best practices in CMRS in the region.

Leaving No One Behind: Mine Action And The Sustainable Development Goals, Gichd, United Nations Development Programme

Global CWD Repository

This joint GICHD-UNDP study explores the links between mine action and the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs and it reflects upon the current understanding of the contribution and impact that mine action is having on achieving the 2030 Agenda in countries affected by landmines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war.

The study also provides guidance to policy and decision makers from mine action organisations, donors and particularly National Mine Action Authorities on how to:

• increase awareness and understanding of the 2030 Agenda amongst the mine action community and its core partners
• identify the catalytic potential of mine action …

Effects Of Weather On Detection Of Landmines By Giant African Pouched Rats, Ian Mclean, Rebecca Sargisson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Although APOPO has trained mine detection rats for many years, no published data exist on how weather parameters relate to detection accuracy. Using data taken during routine training, we show that there was little relationship between the detection success of rats and rainfall but find that rates decreased, on average, with increasing temperatures and increased with higher humidities. Individual rats vary in terms of sensitivity to temperature in that

Geneva International Centre For Humanitarian Demining 2017 Annual Report, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

2017 marked the 20-year anniversary of the signing of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, which laid the ground for coordinated mine action efforts worldwide. This treaty has become a reference agreement in both the humanitarian and disarmament fields. Today still, it provides an example of how international law can effectively contribute to a safer and more secure world. It is in this spirit that the GICHD continues to promote the universalisation and implementation of the different treaties relevant to mine action. In fact, supporting national partners towards the timely fulfilment of convention obligations and completion targets remains a priority.

However, …