Assistance in Mine Action- Report of the Secretary General
This present report,A/66/292, covering the period from August 2009 to July 2011, is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 64/84, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit a report to the Assembly at its sixty-sixth session on the implementation of that resolution and on follow-up to previous resolutions on assistance in mine clearance and mine action, including on relevant United Nations policies and activities.
The report also outlines the achievements made since the previous report of the Secretary-General (A/64/287) in the implementation of the four strategic objectives identified in the United Nations Inter-Agency Mine Action Strategy 2006-2010. In recognition of the evolving mine action landscape, the report outlines a series of recommendations, including enhanced cooperation among United Nations mine action partners in the area of ammunition stockpile management, to address the increased threats posed by improvised explosive devices and the vast circulation of illicit small arms and light weapons.
UN Resources:
- Previous Reports of the SG.
- Reference to landmines, explosive remnants of war, cluster munitions and/or mine action.
Photo source:UN Library, Photo # 16369 by Robel Mockonen, Chitwan, Nepal.
Senegal: MFDC gunmen abduct 12 mining-clearance experts
afriquejet.comTwelve mine-clearing experts, including three women, have been abducted in Casamance, Southern Senegal, by members of the Movement of the Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), reliable sources told PANA here Monday.
Demba Keita, an official of a nongovernmental organization (NGO), said they noted Friday the disappearance of the 12-member team from the village of Kailou near the border with Guinea Bissau.
Keita said the abducted persons were taken towards the neighboring Guinea Bissau.
South Africa company unveils new mine-protected products
engineeringnews.co.zaSouth Africa’s globally respected specialist mine protection and demining company, Denel Mechem, made two major announcements last month. The first was of the company’s development of a new-generation version of the renowned Casspir mine-protected vehicle, the Casspir NG 2000. The second was of the develop- ment of a new multipurpose truck fitted with a new mine-protected cab.
The Casspir first entered service in 1979 and since then has seen service around the world with the United Nations (UN), various police forces and private security companies, as well as with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). “The basic, reliable features of the Casspir remain the same,” affirms Denel Mechem GM Ashley Williams. “It has always been the world leader in its class – providing unequalled protection against landmines, roadside bombs and automatic rifle fire. Now we have improved the hull protection by using a higher quality of steel, increased its power, improved the accessibility for passengers and mounted it on a more versatile and reliable vehicle platform.”
The Casspir NG 2000 can resist the blast of 14 kg of explosives – equivalent to more than two landmines – under each wheel. It comes in two versions. One uses a Mercedes-Benz drivetrain while the other, designated the NG 2000B, uses a Powerstar engine as its platform. The result is improved power and manoeuvrability.
