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| The Twelfth Meeting of the Mine Action National Directors and UN Advisors |
| March 23 - 27, 2009 |
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The United Nations Mine Action Team (UNMAT) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), hosted the Twelfth International Meeting of National Mine Action Programme Directors and UN Advisors from 23 to 27 March 2009 in Geneva.
This annual meeting presents 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 mine action programmes, colleagues from United Nations departments and agencies, international non-governmental organizations, experts from donor governments and other mine action implementing partners.
The plenary sessions held in this meeting addressed issues such as: the national ownership and capacity development of Mine Action programmes, information management and victim surveillance, risk reduction interventions in emergencies and post-conflict contexts, advancing victim assistance within the new convention on the rights of persons with disabilities framework, ensuring equal participation of women and men as protagonists in mine action the impact of mine action activities, resource mobilization, etc.
The Director of the Albanian Mine Action Executive who represented the Albanian Programme in this meeting chaired one of the sessions with National Directors, where several relevant issues were discussed such as the transition strategies for mine action programmes, the importance of regional cooperation, etc.
"The meeting promoted the exchange of information and experience among the practitioners and improving their access to substantive knowledge and information resources. Additionally, meeting was very useful in providing the most up to date information regarding status of the mine action today", said the director of the programme, Mr. Arben Braha.
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| AMAP Retreat - 2008 |
| December 12-13, 2008 |
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The annual AMAP Meeting took place in Tirana on 12-13 December 2008 with the participation of the main implementing partners of the programe such as AMAE, DCA, VMA, ARC, Handicap International and ITF. The main objective of this meeting was to analyze the progress of the mine action programme in Albania during 2008 and to draft the work and strategic plan for 2009 in three main components of Mine Action: Humanitarian De-mining, Mine and UXO Risk Education and Victim Assistance. Mr. Braha presented the progress on achieving the different objectives of the Strategic Plan such as: the update of MA strategy, the prioritization of tasking and clearance as well as the annual planning and reporting. Among the activities organized during the year 2008, worth mentioning was the Portfolio Workshop, International Meetings and regional cooperation regarding sharing of information, experience and expertise, cross border demining and fund raising. Mr. Salihi, Chief of Regional office, reported that at the beginning of the season some 30 Task Dossiers had been issued out to DCA for demining in 2008. Mine Risk Education and Victim Assistance partners presented the work and progress done during 2008 and also plans and priorities for 2009. The AMAP Annual Meeting is a very important annual gathering, which ensures a proper coordination and planning of mine action activities in Albania with the aim of fulfilling the overall objective of having a mine free land by 2009. |
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UNDP Country Director and EC representatives Visit the AMAE RO Kukes |
| October 2008 |
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In October 2008, UNDP Country Director, Mr.Norimasa Shimamura along with EC representatives in Albania paid a visit to the AMAE Kukes Regional Office. During the visit, they showed particular interest in de-mining progress, mine and UXO Risk Education and Victim Assistance. They also visited the Kukes Prosthetic and Physiotherapy Center, which is located at the Kukes Regional Hospital. This center is financially supported with funding from EC, US State Department through ITF, France and UNDP. |
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| A KFOR Kosova Visit in Kukes |
| October 2008 |
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| KFOR Kosova Visit in Kukes |
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A team from KFOR Kosova, led by the Chief of the Risk Management Office, Major Wipih Ralph visited the AMAE Regional Office in Kukes to be briefed on the Mine Action Programme in Albania. The aim of the visit was to discuss the situation of the mined areas along the Albanian-Kosova border; to evaluate the progress of the de-mining operations and; to consider the potentiality of mutual collaboration in the future. Additionally, the team made a visit to MA 61-2 field in Qarrmani and witnessed a deminig operation in the field. |
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| Handover Ceremony of Cleared Land in Tropoja |
| September 29, 2008 |
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| The physical hand-over of cleared areas is a very important process. It is the official guarantee that the land which is being handed over to the community is mine free and it is ready to be exploited by the locals. One of the handover ceremonies took place on 29.09.2008 in villige Doberdol in Tropoja. Present in the hand over ceremony were the Mayor of Tropoja, Heads of Bucaj and Papaj as well as representatives from AMAE, DCA, VMA and ARC and members of the communities that will make use of the cleared land. |
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