Quick facts on landmines and Africa

Landmines and Africa

• 47 out of the 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have joined the Mine Ban Treaty.
• Ethiopia is a signatory to the Treaty and still needs to complete its ratification process in order to become a member state. Somalia has not yet come on board.
• There are 23 mine- and unexploded ordnance (UXO)- affected countries in the region, plus Somaliland; and Angola is one of the world’s most mine-polluted countries.
• Great progress is being made in clearing minefields in some countries e.g. Mozambique and Yemen.
• However, there are enormous challenges in other countries, particularly where landmines are still being laid e.g. in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda where non-state actors have planted mines in recent years.
• Last year 21 countries reported mine injuries or deaths due to landmines and UXO. In some countries, the number of landmine victims went down last year, e.g. in Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Senegal but in others the number increased, e.g. in Burundi and Sudan.
• In any case the overall number of landmine survivors continues to increase. Ethiopia, for example, has identified an overall figure of 7,275 survivors.
• Many survivors struggle to gain assistance, including to basic emergency treatment as well as programmes for their socio-economic reintegratons e.g. in Angola less than 30% of the population has access to healthcare and there are few facilities for mine survivors.
• Click here for the Landmine Monitor Report 2004 Executive Summary and full report.

Kenya

• Kenya is a member of the Mine Ban Treaty.
• It is not mine-affected, no longer stockpiles antipersonnel mines and never produced or exported the weapon. It does has a significant UXO problem, however.
• The government agreed to host the Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World as a show of solidarity with mine-affected neighbours on the continent.
• Landmine victims are treated, including at an International Committee of the Red Cross hospital near the border with Sudan.
• Click here for the Landmine Monitor chapter on Kenya

Sudan

• Sudan is heavily mine-affected, following extensive landmine use throughout the 20-year civil conflict and alleged ongoing use by government forces and rebel groups.
• There have been no reports of use in the current crisis in Darfur, though the situation there seriously threatens the peace process, including agreement not to use landmines.
• Sudan became a Mine Ban Treaty member state in 2004.
• Click here for the Landmine Monitor chapter on SudanSource: Landmine Monitor Report 2004