Against landmines and unexploded ordnance: Switzerland's major commitment to humanitarian demining
Bern, 02.04.2015 - In 2014, Switzerland supported a number of humanitarian mine clearance projects in various countries such as the Philippines – where an armaments and munitions depot was washed away during Typhoon Haiyan – and in the Horn of Africa, where Switzerland helped local authorities in Somaliland and Puntland construct two mine action centres. Switzerland's commitment to mine action, for which it provided around CHF 19 million in 2014, is a long-term contribution to peace and security. The importance of mine action is commemorated on International Mine Awareness Day on 4 April each year. Swiss involvement in humanitarian mine clearance is coordinated at the political and operational levels by the FDFA and DDPS. The new annual report provides an overview of the activities undertaken in 2014 by both departments.
Landmines and other explosive remnants of war (“UXO”) often pose a threat to the local civilian population and to members of humanitarian and peacebuilding missions years or even decades after the end of a conflict. Explosive remnants of war often impede humanitarian access to the affected population, endanger members of international missions involved in post-conflict rehabilitation and can be a serious obstacle to reconstruction, long-term development and food security.
The Confederation has been active in humanitarian demining efforts since the 1990s. This commitment is a long-term contribution to peace and security. Switzerland’s current efforts at the political and operational levels are based on the Strategy of the Swiss Confederation on Humanitarian Mine Clearing 2012-2015. As part of this strategy, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) are coordinating their activities in this area.
During 2014, the Confederation spent a total of CHF 19.1 million on humanitarian demining to directly implement the political and operational goals of this strategy. Switzerland provided support – in the form of FDFA funding and technical expertise from the DDPS and the Swiss Armed Forces – to numerous projects in affected countries and regions such as the Philippines, where an armaments and munitions depot was washed away during Typhoon Haiyan and posed a threat to the returning population, and in the Horn of Africa, where the Swiss Armed Forces were able to complete their participation in the UN demining programmes in Somaliland and Puntland. These programmes helped build local capacities on the ground, enabling the mine action centres in both territories to fulfil their mandates independently. Switzerland also supported projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Angola, South Sudan, Colombia, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. The contributions made by Swiss specialists on the ground within the framework of UN programmes, as well as at UN headquarters in New York and Geneva, are internationally recognised and greatly appreciated.
At the political and diplomatic levels, Switzerland continued to leverage its efforts to further the institutional strengthening of the relevant agreements (Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, Convention on Cluster Munitions, UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons). One of the main challenges is to shore up flagging commitments in the efforts against anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war. In this context, Switzerland also notes with great concern reports of the possible use of cluster munitions in recent conflicts.
In accordance with the strategy guidelines, the Confederation allocated about half of its humanitarian demining contribution to support the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), which has an excellent international reputation. In collaboration with national authorities, international organisations and civil society, the GICHD formulates norms and standards, imparts specialist knowledge, and supports operational activities in the countries and regions affected. Within the context of Switzerland’s peace policy efforts, the GICHD further strengthened its capacities, moving to new premises at the Maison de la Paix, which was opened in 2014.
Measured against the strategic guidelines, the Confederation considers the activities carried out during the 2014 calendar year to have been successful. But much still needs to be done to ensure the universal application of international legal instruments, demine affected areas and provide assistance to victims. For this reason, Switzerland notes with some concern a loss of momentum in international efforts in some areas.
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