Mine Action Weekly, 11 - 17 March 2024
Markus Schindler
Program Manager at FSD | Expert in Mine Action Capacity Development & Localisation | Published Researcher | Editor of Mine Action Weekly
Welcome to the latest edition of the Mine Action Weekly newsletter, your comprehensive source for the most important global updates from the mine action sector. Read about the latest news on EO contamination & clearance, EORE, accidents and victim assistance, advocacy efforts, stockpile destruction, mine action innovation & technology, and assistance, cooperation & funding - right here, every Monday. Dive right in and stay up-to-date!
Disclaimers:
Weekly News Roundup
The weekly news roundup showcases a low-down of the top mine action news and insights from the past seven days.
1. EO Contamination & Clearance
???? Azerbaijan: ANAMA: 316 unexploded ordnances neutralised over past week
During mine-clearing operations 4 to 10 March, a total of 128 anti-personnel mines, 63 anti-tank mines, and 316 unexploded ordnances (UXOs) were discovered and neutralised, and 997.1 hectares were cleared of mines and UXOs over the past week. Read more here.
???? Azerbaijan plans to clear 60,000 ha land from mine in 2024 - Prime Minister
The Prime Minister said that by March 1, 2024, more than 123,000 hectares had been cleared and 114,730 mines and unexploded ordnance had been found. "In 2024, it is planned to clear 60,000 hectares of land from mines," the Prime Minister underscored.
???? France: Thales Delivers Unmanned Mine-Clearing Ops Center to French Navy
泰雷兹 has developed a mission planning, management, and analysis demonstrator for the French Navy’s mine-clearing operations. The Expeditionary Portable Operations Centre (e-POC) allows operators to simultaneously control up to three underwater minehunting drones and can be set up using only a single computer system on board a ship or on land.
???? Myanmar: AA clears landmines in Kyaukphyu
The Arakan Army (AA) experts removed a number of landmines in Kyaukphyu township of Rakhine State. Many roads and paddy fields were used for the planting near to Sai Chone Dwain and Aung Zedi villages, situated across Nga La Pyawt creek. As those areas are frequently traversed by local people, the AA decided to clear those landmines.
???? Palestine: Gaza will 'take years' to be made safe again, warns UNRWA
The United Nations agency for Palestinians ( UNRWA ) says Israeli attacks have left almost 23 millions tonnes of rubble and unexploded weapons scattered across the Palestinian enclave.
???? Palestine: Unexploded bombs, a long-term threat to life in Gaza
国际助残 has repeatedly warned about the dangers posed by the presence of Israeli explosive remnants of war in the Gaza Strip. The consequences of which are far-reaching: loss of life, disabling injuries, psychological trauma and delayed deliveries of humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.
???? Palestine: Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory
United Nations OCHA 's mine action partners are carrying out some assessments of explosive threats and educating the public about the risks. Larger-scale assessments are urgently required, but response efforts have been hampered by restrictions on the import of humanitarian mine action supplies and authorisation requirements on the deployment of specialised personnel.
???? Ukraine: Over 300,000 ha of Ukrainian agricultural land demined last year
Approximately 330,000 hectares of agricultural land in the liberated territories of Kherson and Kharkiv oblasts was surveyed and cleared of explosives last year, meaning that this year it can be added to the total area of land that can be sown with crops.
???? Ukraine: Mine clearance of Kherson Oblast's right bank will take two years
The mine clearance of Kherson Oblast's right (west) bank will take at least two years, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration: "Our lands are clogged with explosives, making it extremely dangerous to advance. This is especially true for fields and forest belts. A third of the right bank of Kherson Oblast has been cleared of mines. In this area alone, bomb disposal experts discovered and destroyed over 155,000 mines, trip wires, unexploded shells, and other explosives."
???? Ukraine: Mechanised demining vehicles clear 47.3 hectares of land in Mykolaiv Oblast
Ukrainian bomb disposal teams have cleared 47.3 hectares of agricultural land in Mykolaiv Oblast of explosives using mechanised mine clearance vehicles.
???? Ukraine: The DOK-ING MV-10 system was involved in the demining of the Mykolaiv region
The DOK-ING MV-10 mine clearance system was sent to the Mykolaiv region that should effectively neutralise mines. The State Transport Special Service said that it was already operating remotely and neutralising anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, as well as other ammunition.
???? ???? ???? Ukraine: Croatia and UNDP help revitalise gas production in Ukraine by clearing land for explosive ordnance
The United Nations Development Programme ( 联合国开发计划署 ), along with the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy and Ukrgasvydobuvannya , Ukraine's largest gas producer, recently completed an Explosive Ordnance risk assessment over 17 sq. kilometres in Kharkiv Oblast, formerly under Russian occupation. This initiative, financially backed by the Croatian Government, is pivotal for resuming gas exploration in the region.
???? Ukraine: "Nibulon" has obtained right to carry out humanitarian demining
One of Ukraine’s largest grain market operators, Nibulon JV LLC (Mykolaiv), has been certified and granted the right to conduct humanitarian demining in the areas of Technical Survey, Manual Demining and War Zone Clearance, the grain trader’s press service reports.
???? Ukraine: Day in Kharkiv region: as result of the hit of "Shahed" in Kozacha Lopan, critical infrastructure object was damaged
On 16 March, combined teams of explosive ordnance disposal experts demined 29.42 hectares of territory in the Kharkiv Region and destroyed 333 explosive devices. Mine clearance is ongoing.
???? Ukrainian Sappers Neutralise 310 Explosive Objects In Past Day
On March 15, demining units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine found and neutralised 310 explosive objects.
???? Ukraine: New RC Initiation System for Russian Sensor-Based Booby Traps
Online documentation appeared of a PIR sensor-based initiation system reportedly found in Sumy Oblast, in northeastern Ukraine. According to the publication, this device was used to initiate a directional fragmentation charge, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuring three others.
???? Vietnam: Mines Advisory Group Vietnam’s 25-year journey marked in Quang Tri
MAG (Mines Advisory Group) held a ceremony in Dong Ha city, the central province of Quang Tri on 15 March to mark its 25th year of operation in Vietnam.
???? Vietnam: An American who has helped clear 815,000 bombs from Vietnam
Chuck Searcy, an American veteran living in Hanoi, has helped clear 815,000 unexploded bombs in Vietnam, addressing the deadly legacy of the Vietnam War and aiming to prevent further casualties and injuries from leftover ordnance.
???? ???? Yemen: Saudi project clears 658 mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia’s Masam Landmine Clearance Project - Yemen cleared 658 mines in Yemen between 9 and 15 March. Overseen by the Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief , the project’s special teams destroyed 573 items of unexploded ordnance and 85 anti-tank mines.
?? International Surge In Unexploded Ordnance Threatens Civilians: From Mexico To Ukraine
In an alarming development that spans continents, unexploded ordnance (UXO) is posing a big menace to civilians and security forces alike. From the distant villages of Cambodia to the war-torn territories of Ukraine, communities are grappling with the lethal legacy of battle.
Other EO Finds from Around the Globe:
2. Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE)
???? Vietnam: Legacies of War: UXO Lessons in Vietnamese Schools
In Vietnam, children are learning about UXOs, or unexploded ordnance, to keep themselves and their families safe.
???? Vietnam Integrates UXO Security Training In Colleges, Aiming For A Safer Future
In a major transfer to make sure the security and consciousness of future generations, Vietnam has begun integrating unexploded ordnance (UXO) safety training into college curriculums, significantly in areas closely affected by remnants of battle.
3. Accidents, Survivors, Victim Assistance
???? Cambodia records 32 landmine, ERW casualties in 2023, down 22 pct
Cambodia reported 32 landmine and explosive remnant of war (ERW) casualties in 2023, a 22 percent decline from 41 in 2022, according to an official report on Thursday.
???? Mexico: Soldiers and civilians dying as Mexican cartels embrace terrifying new weapon: Land mines
Mexican cartels are using land mines, causing civilian and soldier casualties, signaling a dangerous escalation in violence with increasingly sophisticated weaponry. This change marks a shift towards actual warfare tactics, including the adoption of guerrilla warfare techniques from Colombian mercenaries.
???? Syria landmine blast kills 16 truffle hunters
At least sixteen civilians including at least nine women searching for truffles in the north Syria desert were killed and others seriously wounded Saturday after their small truck hit a mine in an area where ISIS members are present in Raqqa province.
???? Syria: Nine truffle pickers among 34 civilians killed and wounded by explosions of explosive remnants of war in two weeks
SOHR has documented the death of 14 civilians, including three children, and the injury of 20 other children in March due to the explosion of war ordnance. Read more here.
???? Ukraine: 17 residents of Mykolaiv Oblast have been blown up by landmines since the beginning of the year
Since the beginning of 2024, 17 people have been blown up by mines in the Mykolaiv region, 4 of them died.
???? Vietnam: My biggest takeaway so far has been finding joy in the little things
Natasha reflects on her internship experience as Mine Action Support Worker in Vietnam with the Association for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (AEPD). Working in a climate-impacted province, she admires AEPD's inclusive, empowering approach to aiding those with disabilities, including landmine survivors.
Other EO Accidents from Around the Globe:
领英推荐
4. Advocacy and Policy
???? Afghanistan: Security Council resolution on Afghanistan fails to reflect latest developments: Chinese envoy
A Chinese envoy to the UN stated that "the international community should strengthen its engagement with the Afghan interim government to ensure humanitarian assistance on the one hand, and provide more help in mine clearance," among other important issues.
???? Cambodia: Paving the way for a mine-free world
In a significant stride towards global peace and humanitarian progress, Cambodia is set to host the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine-Free World from 25 to 29 November 2024. Read more here.
???? Zimbabwe: Govt appreciates IFRC's humanitarian assistance
Speaking after a closed meeting with members from the 红十字会与红新月会国际联合会 last week, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said relations with the IFRC dated back to 1980 when the organisation started providing support in demining certain areas.
5. Stockpile Destruction, PSSM and Disarmament
???? Nigeria: Police authorises Baker Hughes to destroy expired explosive materials
The Rivers State Police Command has officially authorized Baker Hughes Company Limited to undertake the rendering and disposal of expired explosive materials under its custody.
?? Regional SALW control project concludes with a significant track record of accomplishments
Four years following its establishment, the regional project Support to the implementation of the Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and their ammunition in the Western Balkans was brought to a successful closure.
6. Research, Innovation, Technology and Market Trends
???? Ukraine Prepares To Roll Out An Army Of Ground Robots
This week Ukraine’s United24 announced that multiple types of military ground robot were going into mass production. The organisation, set up by the government to raise funds to help Ukraine, said that after a long selection procedure it would be purchasing hundreds of specialised robots for roles including mine clearance.
???? ???? Ukraine: The Lithuanian miltech startup Broswarm will test its drones for demining purposes in Ukraine
The military technology startup BROSWARM , specialising in mine detection, will test its UAVs with AI in Ukraine. Recently, the startup secured a $100,000 investment.
7. Mine Action Assistance, Funding and Cooperation
???? ???? Angola: Japan Grants Over USD 400,000 to Help Demining, Education Projects in Angola
The Japanese government made available Thursday a total of 429,903 US dollars to support demining projects and the construction of two schools in Angola, the country's ambassador to Angola, Suzuki Toru, has said.
???? ???? ???? Azerbaijani, Turkish, Georgian FMs discuss new collaborations in Baku
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Bayramov announces a new era of cooperation, highlighting ambitious projects in various sectors after the 9th Trilateral Meeting with Türkiye and Georgia. Informing his counterparts about the situation post-conflict with Armenia, reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts, and mine clearance activities, Bayramov stated. Read more here.
???? ???? Azerbaijan: President Ilham Aliyev received Administrator of United Nations Development Programme
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Achim Steiner, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme ( 联合国开发计划署 ). The discussion underscored the significance of deepening cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNDP in demining efforts, including the co-organisation of an annual conference in Baku dedicated to addressing this issue. They also discussed the development of Azerbaijan's role as a regional training centre for global humanitarian demining in partnership with UNDP. Read more here.
???? ???? Cambodia, UK to Foster Military Collaboration
Mr. Colonel Eddie Maskell-Pedersen reaffirmed that the United Kingdom will continue providing assistance for Cambodia in some priority sectors, particularly mine clearance at the border.
???? ???? Sri Lanka receives bomb disposal equipment through Chinese military grant
Sri Lanka has received a stock of bomb squad equipment through a grant from the Chinese military. The Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Qi Zhenhong handed over the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) equipment to the Secretary to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence General Kamal Gunaratne (Rtd) in a ceremony held on 13 March. The equipment will be used primarily for screening, bomb detection, and disposal.
???? Ukraine: State budget 2024 provides UAH 3 bln for humanitarian demining of farmland – minister
Ukraine has launched a mechanism of state compensation for humanitarian demining of agricultural land, which will become available at least within a month; the 2024 state budget provides UAH 3 billion for these purposes, said First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko.
???? ???? Ukraine: Canada handed over mine clearance vehicles to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Canada handed over special mine clearance vehicles to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. In total, 10 special vehicles for the disposal of explosive ordnance were transferred.
???? ???? Ukraine: Explosive Technicians of Ukrainian Police Receive Gear from Germany
Explosive technicians of the Ukrainian National Police and the Interior Ministry Expert Service received technical assistance from Germany. On 14 March 2024, the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany handed over a technical assistance package to Ukrainian colleagues.
???? ???? Ukraine: Swiss company helps Ukraine clear landmines
With funding support from Germany, Swiss company Global Clearance Solutions (GCS) is providing Ukraine with state-of-the-art, unmanned mine clearance vehicles. Vast swaths of the war-torn country's farmland are littered with unexploded ordnance.
???? ???? Ukraine: Greece joins coalition to help Ukraine with mine clearance
Greece has joined a coalition led by Lithuania and Iceland to help Ukraine with mine clearance. This was announced by Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anu?auskas following a meeting with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in Vilnius.
???? ???? Ukraine: Japan pledges €1.25bn for investment and exports to Ukraine
During the meeting, Ukrainian and Japanese officials signed a series of 56 documents, including an agreements enabling Ukraine to implement funds provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to rebuild the energy and transport sectors and to help with mine clearance.
???? ???? Ukraine: The UN acquired mine clearing vehicles for clearing Kharkiv region
The UN World Food Program has acquired three Ukrainian-made demining vehicles of the Kharkiv region. Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Ihor Bezkaravainyi, representatives of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and FSD (Fondation suisse de déminage) , as well as Deputy Head of the Kharkiv RMA Yevhenii Ivanov took part in the transfer of the first vehicle. Read more here.
???? ???? Ukraine: Draft US budget for 2025 includes US$482 million for aid to Ukraine
The White House published a budget proposal for fiscal year 2025 on 11 March. US$66 million will be allocated for other security assistance activities, including protection of civilians, mine clearance, and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
8. Other News
???? Ukraine: Gendered Perceptions and Participation in the Mine Action Sector
The article discusses the gendered norms in Ukraine's mine action sector, highlighting the traditionally male-dominated field and the challenges women face in participation. It references the Oslo Action Plan's action point on gender equality and the importance of women's participation in demining and community-facing roles for effective interventions. The report by Danish Refugee Council / Dansk Flygtningehj?lp Ukraine focuses on the barriers to women's sustainable engagement in the sector, noting that women constitute a small percentage of the workforce and face legislative and structural barriers.
???? United Kingdom: Have You seen a UXO? How an Unexploded Ordnance Can Impact a Developer
Uncovering UXOs in development areas poses significant risks and costs for developers, highlighted by a 500kg WWII bomb found in Plymouth, causing a major evacuation. Developers are advised to conduct early UXO searches and assessments to mitigate risks and ensure safety.
?? A Short History Of Landmines
Henrique Garbino from Swedish Defence University provides a short history of landmines and the challenges of the demining process, before talking about his research on the use of landmines and other explosive devices by non-state armed groups.
?? Why unexploded ordnances pose physical, and environmental, risks
Unexploded ordnances in water bodies pose not only physical dangers but also environmental risks by leaching toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury, and uranium, affecting water, soil, and marine life. Disposal challenges further complicate efforts to mitigate these hazards.
?? The real life Trigger Point Vicky McClure - detonating bombs from the Stockport suburbs
Fiona Kilpatrick-Cooper from The HALO Trust is the real-life version of Vicky McClure's Lana Washington in hit TV drama Trigger Point - and she's at home in Stockport.
Videos
Canada is providing $3 billion in financial and military support to Ukraine this year, including millions for demining efforts for a project with The HALO Trust .
For the last week, participants have been expanding their knowledge and skills at Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) 's Non-Technical Survey (NTS) Training — which involves identifying the nature and location of explosive ordnance contamination. It is a critical step in the land release process requiring effective planning and prioritisation.
MAG (Mines Advisory Group)'s team in Vietnam recently celebrated 25 years of work in the country. MAG has been in Vietnam since 1999, in which time they have cleared more than 250 square kilometres of land and safely destroyed more than 390,000 items of explosive ordnance.
In Afghanistan, is supporting returnees from Pakistan by clearing landmines and providing risk education.
Upcoming Events, Courses & Trainings
There are a number of interesting events for the mine action sector in the coming months, and some of the deadlines are approaching quickly.
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FSD-Operation Manager
8 个月Excellent work, incredibly helpful news about mine action worldwide. Thanks Markus Schindler
Country Director at FSD Iraq
8 个月As always very informative Markus. Especially enjoyed reading about the rapid innovation of Drones and Remote piloted vehicles.
Thanks for the inclusion Markus Schindler ??