Mine Action Support to the Humanitarian Response in Northern Ethiopia

On 31 January 2020, upon request by the Interim President of Somali Region of Ethiopia, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (“RHC”) in Ethiopia addressed to UNMAS to undertake a landmine and explosive hazard assessment in the Somali region to determine the scope of the problem and subsequently provide technical assistance and safety advisory support to humanitarian country team, national authority and local population, as well as act as the focal point for mine action in the affected areas.  A follow up letter by the Federal Ministry of Peace of Ethiopia to the RHC dated 30 October 2020 suggests the scope for UNMAS interventions in other regions of the country. Similar requests were initiated from other regions with the objective to mitigate the negative impact of mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) imminently affecting the vulnerable population groups. The requests sought UNMAS’ immediate intervention to support safe and effective humanitarian aid delivery through life saving risk education awareness activities, assessment and threat reduction where it’s appropriate and feasible.

The same has been echoed by the Emergency Directors group and the Humanitarian Country Team (“HCT”) as it has been noted that mine action is a key partner of the Protection Sector and needs to be scaled up to enable critical life-saving activities, promoting safety awareness to protect people from the dangers posed by explosive hazards and facilitate their safe return.  Moreover, in accordance with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action, the national protection cluster requested activation of the Mine Action Area of Responsibility (“MA AoR”). As a result of this, on 5 August 2021, the Ethiopia Humanitarian Country Team (EHCT) endorsed the establishment of the MA AoR, proposing UNMAS to lead both at national and regional level. The overall objective of the activation of the MA AoR is to coordinate operational activities whilst ensuring a more predictable, accountable and effective mine action response in the emergency situation, as well as reducing the impact of risk of Explosive Ordnance (“EO”) in the regions of Ethiopia, supporting the Government with a nationwide mine action strategy focused on affected regions.

Working in support of the EHCT mandate delivery and the Ethiopia Mine Action ambition to become mine free country, UNMAS Ethiopia in coordination with the Ethiopian Bureau of Mine Action (“EBMA”) formerly known as Ethiopian Mine Action Office (“EMAO”) looks for Local NGOs with interest to engage in carrying out EORE to promote safety for the local populations, mainly the IDPs and the returnees in the conflict affected areas. 

Recent assessments indicate widespread EO contamination in Northern Ethiopia, especially in areas that have seen intense fighting. Explosive remnants of war (ERW) are spread across residential areas and internally displaced persons sites, in communal locations and amongst rubble, posing an immediate risk to life, the delivery of humanitarian aid, inhibiting safe movement, and preventing access to basic services. For instance, reports from recent months evidenced that EO continues affecting the life of several civilians, mainly children.