Nairobi December 15, 2005 (SL Times) – The United Nations today launched the Portfolio of Mine Action Projects 2006 appealing for a total of USD 85.4 million for Mine Action activities in Somalia(USD 5.5 million), Sudan (USD 76.5 million) and Uganda(USD 3.4 million).

The projects cover all five aspects of mine action, namely: clearing, marking or fencing off mined areas; assisting victims and their families; providing mine risk education; destroying countries’ stockpiles of landmines; and advocating for universal participation in treaties related to landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW).

Speaking at the regional launch, UN Somalia Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and Director Designate of the UN Mine Action Service, Maxwell Gaylard said, “We cannot over-emphasize the primacy of Mine Action to humanitarian, development and reconstruction activities. We need a multi-pronged approach to Mine Action. First, we must deal with mines at source – those who manufacture them should stop doing so as agreed in the Ottawa Convention. Secondly, we need to get rid of the mines that have already been planted that maim and kill people, and also block access to productive land and key services like water sources, schools and health centers. We also particularly need to support those who have been injured by these weapons, through comprehensive inclusion of victim assistance in the wider development context.”

Landmines and ERW kill or injure between 15,000 and 20,000 people annually. In addition to hindering access to critical services, they also inhibit the use of roads, airstrips and other infrastructure. They also prevent the safe movement of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), delivery of humanitarian assistance and the deployment of peacekeepers.  

The ‘Portfolio of Mine Action Projects 2006’ was released in New York on 23 November 2005 by the UN Mine Action Headquarters Portfolio Team. The portfolio highlights 33 participating mine-affected countries and outlines global funding shortfalls totaling about US$ 390 million for 350 landmine initiatives.

For more information, please contact:

SUDAN :

Jim Pansegrouw, Director Mine Action/Programme Manager, UN Mine Action Office , Sudan JimP@unops.org  

Mr. Takuto Kubo, Senior Programme Officer, UN Mine Action Office , Sudan TakutoK@unops.org (+249-183-562-256)

SOMALIA :

John Dingley, CTA/Programme Manager, UNDP Mine Action Somalia John.Dingley@undp.org

Eddie Boyle, Deputy Programme Manager Rule of Law and Security Programme, UNDP Somalia Eddie.boyle@undp.org (+254-20-418-3640)

UGANDA :

Hartmut Thoms, UNDP Mine Action Advisor Uganda Hartmut.Thoms@undp.org (+256-41-236-310)

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