Mine Action

1) Fulfilling Article 5 Obligations 2) Land Release3) Linking Mine Action and Development 4) Extension Requests

1) Fulfilling Article 5 Obligations

Article 5 states that States Parties must make every effort to identify mined areas under their jurisdiction or control and to destroy all antipersonnel mines within them as soon as possible, but no later than 10 years after joining the treaty.

ICBL Policy papers/Statements:

• ICBL Statement on Article 5, 20 November 2007
• Mine Clearance (Reaction to States Parties’ Statements), 25 April 2007
• ICBL Statement on Mine Clearance, 19 September 2006
• ICBL Statement on Mine Clearance, 11 May 2006
• ICBL Statement on Mine Action, 10 May 2006
• ICBL Views on Fulfilment of Article 5 Obligations, May 2006
• ICBL Statement on Clearing Mined Areas, 30 November 2005
• ICBL Statement on Mine Clearance, 21 June 2004

LM Fact Sheets:

• Progress in Fulfilling Article 5 Obligations, November 2007
• Mine Ban Treaty Article 5, September 2006
• Destruction of Anti-personnel Mines in Mined Areas, June 2005
• Destruction of Anti-Personnel Mines in Mined Areas and Status of Mine Action Programs in Mine Affected State Parties (Article 5), May 2003

2) Land Release

The aim of every mine action programme is to release land to the civilian population as quickly and safely as possible. States are increasingly making use of area reduction and area cancellation methodologies to release land back to civilian populations in a more efficient and expeditious manner.

Policy papers/Statements:

• Statement during the Informal Discussions on Implementing Article 5 (Land Release), 20 November 2007
• ICBL Land Release Policy, April 2007

Other resources:

• GICHD documents on land release

3) Linking Mine Action and Development

Some donor states and organizations are mainstreaming mine action into their development budgets in order to ensure longer-term availability of funds, but there is a risk that this could end up decreasing funds available for mine action if the donor and/or recipient states do not prioritize mine action within development budgets.

Policy papers/Statements:

• Statement during the Informal Discussion on Implementing Article 5, 20 November 2007
• Resource Mobilization, 23 April 2007

Additional documents/links:

• Linking Mine Action to Development Programming, 4-5 December 2007

4) Extension Requests

While all mine-affected states must do their best to respect their 10-year deadline, there are some countries that will need to request an extension under Article 5.3 of the treaty. States Party will have the opportunity to assess and decide on each request. At the 7 MSP, SPs agreed on a process to make sure that extensions are carefully prepared and considered. At the 8 MSP, a template for extension requests was approved. The ICBL issued recommended criteria (see link below) for judging extension requests in April 2007. Currently, States Parties with 2009 deadlines that will not be able to meet their deadlines are submitting extension requests, which are being reviewed by the Standing Committee co-chairs and co-rapporteurs. Expert advice is being given by the ICBL and others.

Policy papers/Statements:

• Mine Clearance Extension Requests, 26 April 2007
• ICBL Statement on Extension Requests, 20 September 2006
• ICBL Statement on Article 5 Extensions, 11 May 2006
• ICBL Recommended Criteria for Judging Extension Requests, April 2007

Other resources:

• Decisions by Meetings of States Parties on the Extension Request Review Process
• Voluntary Template for Requesting States Parties
• States Parties’ Extension Requests

Affected States with 2009-10 Deadlines

ICBL mine action operator members:

- DanChurchAid (DCA)
- Danish Demining Group (DDG)
- Handicap International (HI)
- Landmine Action UK
- Mines Advisory Group (MAG)

- Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)

- Swiss Foundation for Mine Action

ICBL Mine Action Working Group