Discover Top Posts Tagged with #giulia matassa

By Marc Bonnet, Helen Gray and Giulia Matassa [ Issue 24.1 ]

Overview of reported SHAs from NTS tasks from 2011 to 2018. Figure courtesy of Descontamina and GICHD. _____________________________________

In January of 2014, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) conducted its first non-technical survey (NTS) training course in Colombia with the objective of enabling participants to plan and conduct NTS. At the time, however, Colombia had the second highest number of landmine accidents in the world, with non-state armed groups (NSAGs) producing explosive ordnance (EO) “mostly in the form of victim-activated improvised explosive devices.” Descontamina, the National Mine Action Authority (NMAA), planned for fulfilling its Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) commitments, and national dialogue was initiated on a Plan de Choque, “a plan of action” (i.e., 2014–2016 Humanitarian Demining Action Plan) that would highlight the role of NTS in assessing the contamination of high-priority areas, which at the time were determined through analysis conducted by the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA).

In its 2014–2016 Humanitarian Demining Action Plan, the Colombian government presented NTS as the initial step in Colombia’s humanitarian demining efforts. Descontamina, also backed by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Colombia, argued that NTS as an initial “intervention” would not only inform technical survey (TS) and clearance but also bring clarity in determining the extent of the country’s mine contamination. The 2014–2016 Humanitarian Demining Action Plan also called for national ownership through increased national investment of humanitarian demining activities, as well as cooperation as part of a collective project to strengthen national capacities.

In line with the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) Land Release 07.11, Colombia’s National Mine Action Standards (NMAS) had recently been updated. Moreover, a growing number of civilian organizations had been accredited and were beginning operations, while an increased number of requests for additional international support were being issued. With the increased need and demand for high quality land release, it became apparent that NTS required investment through training.