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18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
AGENDA
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
Agenda
Overview:
The Eighteenth International Meeting of Mine Action National Programme Directors and UN Advisors is an opportunity
for members of the mine action community to meet and to assess the progress and challenges within the sector.
Participants included senior officials from national mine action programmes, colleagues from United Nations
departments and agencies, international non-governmental organisations, experts from donor governments and other
mine action operators.
This year's meeting will focus on the theme of “More than Mines: The Evolution of Mine Action”
This theme will be used to frame discussions around four broad areas:
 An introduction setting the scene as to the evolution of mine action, including new threats and new responses
 A debate driven by affected states on what are the threats they face and what are their needs for assistance.
 A response by the United Nations, donors, and affected states, amongst other stakeholders in terms of what
is being provided to address the needs identified above, as part of strengthening overall international
cooperation and assistance.
 A conclusion acknowledging the changes seen in the sector and outlining how coordination, coherence and
assistance could be further reinforced and strengthened in order to support national ownership by the best
and most effective and efficient means.
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
MONDAY, 16 FEBRUARY
Introduction: setting the scene as to the evolution of mine action, including new threats and new responses
Opening of Annual Meeting
09:00 –
09:30
 Call to Order and Minute of Silence
by Ms. Agnès Marcaillou, Director of the
United Nations Mine Action Service
(UNMAS)
 Opening statement by Ambassador Stefano
Toscano, Director of Geneva International
Centre for Humanitarian Demining
Opening Statements:
Ms. Agnès Marcaillou, UNMAS
Ambassador Stefano Toscano, GICHD
A
Assistant Secretary-General Dmitry Titov,
United Nations
 Opening statement on behalf of the United
Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action by Assistant Secretary-General
Dmitry Titov
09:30 –
10:00
Keynote speaker: Mine Action as a Critical
Element of Humanitarian Response
Challenges to freedom of movement in Iraq and
Syria - how contamination hampers the
protection of all, access of humanitarian actors
and jeopardizes the transition towards
development. Mine action is an essential
element of both the humanitarian response, postconflict peace-building, development and
reconstruction.
10:00 –
10:15
10:15 –
11:30
Mr. Volker Türk, Director of International
Protection, UNHCR
A
Coffee Break
Plenary Session One: Evolution of Mine
Action – Emerging and Rising Threats and
New Responses
This session will commence with an overview of
how mine action has evolved in the last twenty
years from a focus on AP mine clearance to
other explosive hazards; Cluster Munitions,
IEDs, MOTAPM, ERW and unsafe and
unsecured weapons and ammunition.
Following this, the session will outline the way in
which the response has evolved and
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
Chair: Mr. Dmitry Titov, Assistant SecretaryGeneral for the Rule of Law and Security
Institutions, Department of Peacekeeping
Operations, United Nations
Speakers:
Ms. Agnès Marcaillou, UNMAS
General Kani Diabate Coulibaly
President of the National Commission to
Fight Against the Proliferation of Small Arms
and Light Weapons, Mali
Ambassador Stefano Toscano, GICHD
A
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
demonstrate how the efficiency and
effectiveness of mine action has increased
through rapid response, adapting risk education
methods, weapons and ammunition
programmes, the use of new technologies as
well as gender mainstreaming and the increased
and positive contribution of women in mine
action.
12:00 –
14:00
Lunch / Side Events
Debate driven by affected states on the threats they face and their needs for assistance.
14:00 –
15:15
Plenary Session Two: Beyond the minefields
– addressing ERW and Cluster Munitions
Today’s conflicts have increased the level of
ERW contamination and the need for adjusted
programming
15:15 –
15:30
15:30 –
16:45
Chair: Ms. Thao Griffiths, Director, VVAF
Speakers: Mr. Iurii Kolisnyk, Head of
Humanitarian Demining Centre,
Ukroboronservice SC, Ukraine
Mr. Mohamed Abdulkadir Ahmed, Director,
SEMA, Somalia
Mr. Phoukhieou Chanthasomboune,
Director, NRA, Lao PDR
A
Coffee Break
Plenary Session Three: Unsafe and
Unsecured Weapons and Ammunition
How are national authorities equipped to address
the challenge of managing and monitoring
weapons and ammunition security projects. Who
can assist them and how?
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
Chair: General Kani Diabate Coulibaly
President of the National Commission to
Fight Against the Proliferation of Small Arms
and Light Weapons, Mali
Speakers:
Arben Braha, National Director, Albania Mine
& Munitions Coordination Office (AMMCO)
Dr. Ahmed Ali Maah
Director Somaliland Mine Action Centre
(SMAC)
Colonel-Major Assamoua, Director of
Logistics, Force Republicaine de Côte
d’Ivoire
A
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
TUESDAY, 17 FEBRUARY
Debate driven by affected states on the threats they face and their needs for assistance (continued).
09:00 –
10:15
Plenary Session Four: Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs)
Many affected states are experiencing increased
threats from IEDs
10:15 –
10:30
10:30 –
11:45
12:00 –
14:00
14:00 –
15:15
Chair: Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi, Director,
Department of Mine Clearance (DMC),
Afghanistan National Disaster Management
Authority
Speakers:
Gen. Rafael Alfredo Colón Torres, Director,
DAICMA
Speaker from Nepal, tbc
A
Coffee Break
Plenary Session Five: Anti Vehicle Mines –
Unfinished Business
Humanitarian consequences of Anti Vehicle
Mines
Chair: Mr. Alioune Ould Menane,
Coordinator, National Humanitarian
Demining Programme for Development,
Mauritania
Speakers: Ms. Dijana Pleština, Director,
Office for Mine Action Croatia
Mr. Mohammad Breikat, National Director,
National Committee for Demining and
Rehabilitation, Jordan
Colonel Jim Burke, Director of Engineering,
Defence Forces Ireland
A
Lunch / Side Events
Response by relevant stakeholders to address the needs identified and thereby
strengthens international cooperation and assistance.
Plenary Session Six: Victim Assistance and
Mine/ERW Risk Education
Evolving practices in mine/ERW contamination
to address different types of ERW across
different contexts. How can both governments
and actors outside of mine action provide
resources to assist victims and survivors?
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
Chair: Judy Grayson, Senior Advisor, Child
Protection/Armed Violence & Weapons
Team, UNICEF
Speakers: Mr. Mehreteab Fessehaie Zego,
Director General of the Social Welfare
Department, Eritrea Ministry of Labour and
Human Welfare
Ms. Tammy Hall, Head of Danish Demining
Group
Mr. Facundo Chávez Penillas, Human Rights
& Disability Advisor, Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights
Mr. Luhar Danee, Child Protection Specialist,
UNICEF
A
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
15:15 –
15:30
Coffee Break
15:30 –
18:00
Opportunity for bilateral meetings
18:00 –
19:30
GICHD Reception
Attique,
WMO
WEDNESDAY, 18 FEBRUARY
Response by relevant stakeholders to address the needs identified and thereby international cooperation
and assistance (continued).
09:30 –
10:30
Plenary Session Seven: Cooperation,
Standards and Tools
In response to the evolving nature of mine
action, the international community continues to
develop south-south cooperation, strengthen
norms, and innovate technology for mine action.
10:30 –
10:45
10:45 –
12:00
12:00 –
14:00
Chair: Ms. Helen Gray, GICHD
Speakers:
Brigadier General Elie Nassif, Director,
LMAC, Lebanon
Col. Gilbert Lossitode, Director, CPADD,
Benin
Representative from Eastern Europe,
Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) –
Speaker, tbc
Dr. Suzanne L. Fiederlein, Associate
Director, CISR, JMU
A
Coffee Break
Plenary Session Seven: Cooperation,
Standards and Tools (continued)
Mr. Peter Kolarov, Political Affairs Officer,
UNODA
Mr. Himayu Shiotani, Project Manager,
UNIDIR
Mr. Faiz Paktian, Assistant Director, GICHD
Mr. Emmanuel Sauvage, Regional
Coordinator, HI
Mr. Einar Bjorgo, UNOSAT Manager,
UNITAR
Mr. Mikael Bold, Advisor, GICHD
Mr. Alastair McAslan, Director, Strathfillan
Consultancy
Lunch / Side Events
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
A
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
14:00 –
14:45
14:45 –
15:00
Plenary Session Eight: The United Nations
Mine Action Strategy and the Evolution of
Mine Action
Highlighting the way in which IACG members
are adapting their responses to the evolution of
the sector.
Update on Monitoring and Evaluation of UN
Strategy on Mine Action 2013-2018
A presentation on preliminary findings of the
M&E Mechanism developed at inter-agency level
by the United Nations to measure progress
towards the Strategic Objectives and vision of
the UN Strategy on Mine Action. Along with
results by Objectives, presentation will highlight
how improved data collection and analysis
provides insights into more effective
coordination, engagement with national
authorities, and planning processes.
15:00 –
15:15
Chair: Ms. Agnès Marcaillou, UNMAS
Speakers:
Mr Paul Heslop, Chief, Programme Planning
& Management Section, UNMAS
Mr. Sikander Khan
Deputy Director, UNICEF Office of
Emergency Programmes.
Mr. Neil Buhne, Director, UNDP Geneva
Speakers:
Ms. Agnès Marcaillou, UNMAS
Ms. Gbemisola Akinboyo, UNICEF
Ms. Olivia Selbie, M&E Consultant
Ms. Petra Aldrich, M&E Technical Expert for
UN Strategy
Additional CWG members
A
A
Coffee Break
THURSDAY, 19 FEBRUARY
Response by relevant stakeholders to address the needs identified and thereby international cooperation
and assistance (continued).
09:00 –
10:15
Plenary Session Nine: Mine Action Strategies
in the Changing Context
How are strategies for mine action addressing
the broadening scope of mine action?
10:15 –
10:30
10:30 –
11:45
Chair: Ambassador Misako Kaji, Chair of the
MASG (Japan)
Speakers:
Mr Stefan Scholz, Germany
Mr Francois Garraux, Switzerland
Dr Tarek A. Sharif, African Union
A
Coffee Break
Concluding Remarks
A review of the week’s discussion on the
evolution of mine action, highlighting
achievements of the sector and challenges
identified for the future.
Closing Address
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
Speakers
Ms. Agnès Marcaillou, UNMAS
Ambassador Stefano Toscano, GICHD
Michael Møller, UNOG
A
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
Side Events Calendar
MONDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2015
Introduction: setting the scene as to the evolution of mine action, including new threats and new responses.
Debate driven by affected states on the threats they face and their needs for assistance.
Underwater explosive ordnance: identifying impact and approaches to mitigation
12:00 –
14:00
Conflicts, wars and hasty post-war dumping by militaries and local populations over the last
century have left our global waters littered with explosive ordnance (EO). Environmental factors
such as rains and floods have contributed to the problem by washing EO into rivers, lakes and
other bodies of water. Proactive approaches are available to mitigate the risks of underwater EO
and their associated socio-economic and environmental impact. This side-event will assist nations,
donors and operators understand the foundational elements required to institute a safe, effective
and cost efficient program to mitigate the impact of underwater EO.
C2
Chair: Mr Justin Smith, Underwater EOD Consultant, GICHD
Speakers:
Mr Justin Smith, GICHD – An Introduction to the Impact of Underwater Explosive Ordnance and
Mitigation Approaches
Mr Anton Schevchenko, OSCE – Ukraine’s Underwater Explosive Ordnance Clearance Program
Mr Roger Hess, Golden West Humanitarian Foundation – Underwater Capacity Building Programs
and Technology Used in Cambodia and Solomon Islands
Mine Action in support of Stabilization. Community Based Demining and National
Capacities in Somalia.
12:00 –
14:00
This side-event will look at lessons learned using community based demining projects in
Somaliland. Specifically, it will review how this is supporting stabilization in South Central Somalia
and how building a national capacity within the police helps support emergency response and
community–police dialogue. Finally, it will discuss the long-term aim of developing a sustainable
capacity responsible to deal with residual risk.
C1
Chair: Mohamed Abdulkadir Ahmed (Somali Explosive Management Authority).
Speakers:
Mr. Kjell Ivar Breili (UNMAS Somalia) – Project Manager for the Humanitarian Explosive
Management project in Somalia.
Mr. Ahmed Ali Maah (Somaliland Mine Action Centre)
Representative from HALO - tbd
First-look at the ERW threat in Eastern Ukraine
12:00 –
14:00
Mark Hiznay (Senior Arms Researcher at Human Rights Watch) will present information and
images of the ERW threat observed during a research mission in the Donbass region of eastern
Ukraine in October 2014. The nature of the threat, observed responses, and future challenges will
be addressed.
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
B
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
TUESDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2015
Debate driven by affected states on the threats they face and their needs for assistance (continued).
Response by relevant stakeholders to address the needs identified and thereby international cooperation and
assistance.
Mainstreaming gender and diversity in Quality management & Contracting and grants
management
Toolkits have been developed by GMAP with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office to
assist mine action stakeholders to mainstream gender and diversity into the process and core
documentation related to quality management, and contracting and grants management. The
toolkits are designed for use by a broad range of stakeholders, including National Mine Action
Authorities, Mine Action Centres, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations, and commercial
contractors.
12:00 –
14:00
The Gender and Mine Action Programme will give an overview of why and how to mainstream
gender and diversity into quality management, and contracting and grants management.
Representatives of organisations that have contributed to the development of the toolkits will
share their experiences from the field, highlighting good practices and lessons learnt.
Copies of the toolkits will be distributed at the end of the event.
B
Chair: Mr. Olivier Cottray, Head of Management Consulting, GICHD
Speakers:
Ms Abigail Jones, Programme Manager, GMAP;
Mr Kjell Ivar Breili, Project Manager, Humanitarian Explosive Management Project, UNMAS
Somalia;
Mr Miljenko Vahtaric, Director for International Cooperation and Education, CROMAC
Reaching Out with Risk Education: Approaches to the Realities
A session looking at how life-saving Mine/ERW Risk Education (MRE) is being delivered in some
of the world's most challenging crisis and conflict scenarios today.
12:00 –
14:00
In the context of complex emergencies, implementing organisations face a number of challenges
to providing high quality MRE that reaches the desired target groups; that provides sufficient
coverage of affected communities; and that can be delivered rapidly effectively and efficiently.
How have organisational methodologies evolved to meet the needs on the ground? What new
approaches are available? What works, and what does not?
Chair: Gbemisola Akinboyo (UNICEF)
Speakers:
Richard MacCormac (DCA)
Tammy Hall (DDG)
Sylvie Bouko (HI)
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
C1
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
WEDNESDAY, 18 FEBRUARY
Response by relevant stakeholders to address the needs identified and thereby international cooperation and
assistance.
The African Union Mine Action and Explosive Remnants of War Program: International
Engagement
12:00 –
14:00
Continental efforts towards freeing Africa from landmines have seen the African Union, together
with its partners, playing an increasingly strong role as they work with AU Member States in their
Mine action activities. This side-event will provide an opportunity to present the AU Mine action
and Explosive Management Program, as well as give an update on activities undertaken.
B
Chair and Speaker: Dr Tarek A. Sharif, African Union
Mine action, the environment and toxic remnants of war
12:00 –
14:00
A clean environment is the basis for health and livelihoods. Where access to land and natural
resources is lost, lives, livelihoods and peacebuilding are threatened. This event will consider how
the mine action community could better integrate environmental assessment into operations as a
means of improving the recording of environmental damage and conflict pollution. Utilising case
studies from where operators have already gone beyond ERW to consider chemical and radiation
hazards, it will address the practicality and desirability of a more comprehensive approach to the
environment - and the means through which the impact of operations can be mitigated by utilising
and expanding on current practice.
C1
Chair: Mr. Doug Weir (Toxic Remnants of War Project)
Speakers:
Mr. Wim Zwijnenburg (PAX) - The toxic footprint of Syria’s conflict.
Mr. Hansjörg Eberle (Swiss Foundation for Mine Action) - Mine action and legacy pollution issues.
Mr. Mark Albe (National Association of Ordnance Contractors) – Environmental assessment of
operational and former ranges and munition sites, substances, approaches and lessons learned.
Dr. Gianluca Maspoli (GICHD) – Addressing environmental concerns in mine action operations.
Delivering Efficiency, Effectiveness and Impact in Mine Action
12:00 –
14:00
Global humanitarian need is as great as it has ever been, and the challenges even more complex.
With numerous competing priorities, mine action needs to remain relevant, responsive and use its
resources wisely, with the greatest possible impact for people and communities. This side session
will review key themes from three years of support to MAG from the Australian Government
Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, making recommendations for policy and practice.
Chair: Ms. Namdi Payne, Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva
Speakers:
Mark Thompson: Senior Technical Advisor, MAG
Llewelyn Jones: Co-Director of Programmes, MAG
Chris Loughran: Director of Policy & Evaluation, MAG
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
GICHD
–
6th
Floor
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
Invitation Only Meetings
Time
Item
Venue
MONDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2015
17:30 – 18:30
UN-NGO Forum
C1
TUESDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2015
12:00 – 14:00
Mine Action Support Group (MASG)
16:00 – 17:00
Francophone Group Meeting
C2
th
GICHD – 6 Floor
WEDNESDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2015
12:45 – 13:45
Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) Group Meeting
15:15 – 17:30
Workshop on the Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism for the UN Strategy on
Mine Action 2013-2018
17:00 – 18:00
Committee on Mine Action
th
GICHD – 7 Floor
B
C1
THURSDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2015
12:00 – 14:00
New National Directors Lunch
Attique, WMO
FRIDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 2015
th
09:00 – 13:00
IMAS Review Board Meeting
GICHD – 6 Floor
09:00 – 16:30
Information Management Consultation Workshop
GICHD – 7 Floor
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action
th
18th International Meeting of Mine Action National
Programme Directors and UN Advisors
16-19 February 2015
Administrative Instructions
Please find daily updates of the agenda printed on the panel outside the plenary Room A.
All presentations must be brought to the podium laptop in Room A no later than 15 minutes before the session of the
presentation. Please contact Ms. Jamie Pring at the GICHD at [email protected] and Ms. Sonia Mecheri, UNMAS,
[email protected]
Side Event Meeting rooms C1 + C2 are located on level (-1) and room B is on the ground floor, behind the Help Desk.
Wireless internet is available in all meeting rooms without access code.
Some meetings will take place at the GICHD conference rooms at the Maison de la Paix, (tower 3, floors 6 and 7).
The WMO and the Maison de la Paix buildings are situated five minutes walking distance from each other. Please
refer to the map available at the Help Desk.
Each participant is asked to verify his/her contact information with the Help Desk to ensure we have your most up to
date information and to establish the final participation list.
Publications: if you wish to display publications, please contact the Help Desk and leave your name. Please inform as
well what to do with left-over’s.
The restaurant at the top of the WMO Building is open from 07:30 to 17:00. Please make sure to carry your badge to
access the restaurant.
For all questions and concerns, please address the Help Desk during the meeting hours.
Emergency Contacts
Ms. Susanne RIHS AEBY, GICHD
Mr. Faiz Paktian, GICHD
[email protected] Office: +41 (0)22 730 9305;Cell: +41 (0)79 687 22 60
[email protected] Office +41 (0)22 730 9345;Cell: +41 (0)79 74 65 260
Ms. Julia Knittel, UNMAS
Ms. Sonia Mecheri, UNMAS
Ms. Flora Sutherland, UNMAS
[email protected]
Office: +41 (0)22 917 22 62; Cell: +41 (0)77 473 12 77
[email protected]
Office: +41 (0)22 917 38 64; Cell: +41 (0)77 973 30 93
[email protected] Cell: +1 646-420-2334
Ms. Judy Grayson, UNICEF
Ms Gbemisola Akinboyo
[email protected],
[email protected]
Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UNDP
[email protected],
Cell: +41 78 732 99 73
Ms. Fjola Magnusdottir, UNOPS
[email protected],
Cell: +1 917 691 2276
United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on
Mine Action