Summary
During the 1999 Kosovo conflict, forces of the former Republic of Yugoslavia contaminated 15.3 million square metres in the north-east with mines and sub-munitions. Cluster strikes by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces left unexploded ordnance (UXO) behind.
Albania has ratified the anti-personnel mine-ban treaty, and the Amended Protocol II and Protocol V to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. It recently ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The Albanian Mine Action Executive (AMAE), the national body for coordinating and monitoring mine action, has handed over 14.9 million square metres of surveyed and cleared land to communities. Various demining organizations have participated, including RONCO, HELP, the Swiss Foundation for Demining (FSD) and DanChurchAid (DCA). DCA is now the only demining organization operating. It is funded by the US State Department and Germany through the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF)/Slovenia and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) through the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Two local non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—ALB-AID (formerly the Victims of Mines and Arms Association or VMA) and the Albanian Red Cross (ARC)—provide mine risk education to 16 communities still affected by mines, supported by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the US State Department through the ITF and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Victim assistance is carried out by the Government and NGOs, involving the National Prosthetic and Orthotic Center (NPOC), regional and district hospitals, the Institute for the Rehabilitation of Slovenia, the ICRC, FSD, Handicap International (HI) and ALB-AID. Funding is ensured by the United States through the ITF and private donations at the “Night of a Thousand Dinners,” supported by the US and Albanian private sector. These efforts ensure proper treatment and the socioeconomic reintegration of mine victims and other people with disabilities.
The strategic objective of the Albanian Mine Action Programme (AMAP) is to render Albania free from landmines by August 2010.
Each year, UN entities, nongovernmental organizations, national and local authorities and donors collaborate to assemble a national portfolio of mine action project proposals that together reflect the strategic response developed in the field to all aspects of the problem of landmines and explosive remnants of war. A Country Portfolio Coordinator, usually a representative of a UN agency or a national authority, coordinates meetings where all mine action actors agree on a set of projects and priorities and determine funding needs. The proposals in each country's portfolio are assembled with those of other participating countries and published jointly by the UN Mine Action Service, the UN Development Programme and UNICEF in an annual "Portfolio of Mine Action Projects." This publication serves as a tool for collaborative resource mobilization, coordination and planning of mine action activities. The Albania Country Portfolio Team's funding appeal for mine action projects in 2007 totals US $2,600,087.
Scope of the Problem
An area of 15.3 million square metres along the 120-kilometre border with Kosovo was originally identified as contaminated. Thirty-nine villages, with 25,500 people, have been directly affected; 120,000 people have been indirectly affected. Since 1999, 34 people have been killed and 238 injured by mines and UXO in north-east Albania. In addition to these, there are at least 610 survivors of incidents involving explosive remnants of war (ERW) who were injured by abandoned ammunition dispersed throughout Albania.
DCA and its local demining teams, which are fully trained and equipped, are currently conducting clearance activities. Field operations are supported by the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) cell, and the database is constantly updated with new information. Mine risk education initiatives cover the remaining 16 at-risk villages. The number of mine and UXO incidents in the Kukes region has decreased from 154 in 1999 to zero in the last four years. A mine risk education curriculum has been developed for all public schools.
Still, according to ARC data, an average of 20 people are injured yearly in ERW accidents in other parts of Albania.
For victim assistance, the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) network and the Prostheses Workshop established in the mine-affected region are supporting survivors’ access to medical, rehabilitative and social services. Animal husbandry initiatives have been extended to 84 mine and ERW survivors, and 130 mine amputees have received physical rehabilitation and prostheses abroad since 2001. The provision of technical support and raw materials to the NPOC has continued.
Opportunities for mine action include: a detailed Completion Plan aimed at freeing the country from mines by August 2010 and cooperative relationships with regional authorities. Mine action is linked with humanitarian and development initiatives, leading to enhanced living conditions and improved border control.
Coordination and Consultation
In its 2009 consultations, the Mine Action Portfolio Country Team comprised a range of governmental and non-governmental bodies. The process brokered a broad consensus on the future strategy for mine action, and the division of roles and responsibilities.
Mine action partners include government representatives, UNDP, UNICEF, DCA, the ICRC, the ARC, ALB-AID and HI.
Donors include the European Commission, Germany, Switzerland, the United States, DfID and the ITF.
Mine action is specifically included in the UNDP Country Programme Document under the regional development component.
Strategy
The overall objective of mine action is to free Albania from landmines by August 2010.
The specific objectives include:
- Coordination and monitoring of all mine action activities, in accordance with the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) for mine and UXO clearance, mine risk education and victim assistance;
- Completion of clearance operations and the handover of all mine-contaminated and battle areas in north-east Albania by December 2009;
- Upon completion of mine clearance in north-east Albania, the formulation of a Plan for Transition, in cooperation with stakeholders, that identifies the new mission and area of operation for the programme;
- Post-clearance surveys and promotion of the use of cleared land by the local population;
- Discouragement of life-threatening activities among vulnerable groups in the remaining affected villages through mine risk education;
- Steps to sustain the adoption of the new curricula for mine risk education in the Albanian education system; and
- The treatment and socioeconomic reintegration of mine and ERW victims and their families.
- Implementing income-generation activities for the socioeconomic reintegration of victims;
- Assisting survivors and/or their family members with vocational training;
- Further reinforcing and upgrading capacities for physical rehabilitation to treat mine victims at local and national levels;
- Developing a sustainable physical and medical programme in Albania, with a specific focus on orthotic training;
- Reconstructing NPOC to ensure accessibility and quality treatment for survivors; and
- A detailed assessment of the physical, medical and socioeconomic conditions of at least 610 victims injured in abandoned ammunition accidents in Albania.
Date Anti-Personnel Mine-Ban Treaty signed: Sep 08, 1998
Date of Anti-Personnel Mine-Ban Treaty ratification or accession: Feb 29, 2000
Consents to be bound by Protocol II of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: Aug 28, 2002
Consents to be bound by Amended Protocol II of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: Aug 28, 2002
Date signed Protocol V of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: May 12, 2006