13 to 18 April 2008
Ljubljana, Slovenia and Šibenik, Croatia
Organised by
the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the United Nations Mine Action Team (UNMAT), with the support of the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) and the Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC)
Conference Secretariat Members
UNMAS: Ms. Maria Vardis, Ms. Adina Dinca and Mr. Liban Holm
ITF: Ms. Mojca Petrovcic
CROMAC: Mr. Mijenko Vahtaric and Mr. Goran Gros
SUNDAY, 13 April 2008
12:00 to 17:00 - Meeting Registration
18:00 – 21:00 - Welcome Reception hosted by the Mayor of Ljubljana and ITF at Ljubljana Castle
MONDAY, 14 April 2008
Ljubljana, Slovenia
09:15 – 10:00 Plenary Session One
Opening of the Eleventh Meeting
Minute of Silence for Fallen Colleagues
Opening statement by Mr. Goran Gačnik, Director of International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF)
Opening statement by Ambassador Stephen Nellen, Director of Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD)
Opening statement of Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations
Opening statement by Mr. John Flanagan, Acting Director of United Nations Mine Action Service on behalf of the United Nations Mine Action Team
10:00 – 11:30 Plenary Session Two
Topic: UN Roles and Responsibilities: Implementation of the Five-Year United Nations Mine Action Team (UNMAT) Strategy
Objective:
An underlying theme to the Eleventh Meeting will be the Inter-Agency Strategy for Mine Action 2006-2010. Presentations will seek to elaborate on approaches taken towards meeting the objectives of the Strategy. This session will include an update on the current status of the implementation, with a particular emphasis on how mine-affected countries fit into the UN strategy and methods being used to track implementation and measure progress. Presentations by members of the UNMAT will also focus on each member's respective role and address recent restructuring initiatives and any impact these may have on the delivery of services and nature of engagement with field programmes.
Chair: Dr. Mohammad Haider Reza, Programme Director, UN Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan
Presenters:
Ms. Sara Sekkenes, Head of UNDP Mine Action Team (UNDP)
Ms. Julie Myers, Project Officer, Landmines and Small Arms (UNICEF)
Mr. John Flanagan, Acting Director (UNMAS)
Mr. Paul Heslop, Senior Technical Advisor (UNOPS)
Rapporteur: Mr. Justin Brady, Acting Chief of Programme Support (UNMAS)
11:30- 11:50 - Coffee
11:50 – 13:30 Plenary Session Three
Topic: Victim Assistance and Rights of Survivors and Persons Affected by Explosive Remnants of War
Objective:
This session will revisit the UN inter-agency policy of addressing the full range of rights of survivors within the context of national programmes that address the needs of all persons with disabilities and in accordance with international human rights standards. Speakers will: (1) introduce a set of draft tools compiled to assist mine action authorities to advocate for ratification and compliance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to guide programmes in advancing the aims of the convention; (2) update on efforts to ensure that the needs and rights of survivors and other persons with disabilities are addressed comprehensively in Sudan; (3) describe the challenges and successes of victim assistance efforts in Cambodia; and (4) introduce a new database on EMINE designed to facilitate reporting to human rights treaty bodies.
Chair: Ms. Zvezdana Veber Hartman, State Under-Secretary Ministry of Health, Slovenia and Member of ITF Managing Board, presentation:
Presentations:
Landmine Survivors Network presents the draft advocacy package on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Mr. Ramiz Becirovic, Assistant for Advocacy and Regional Initiatives, Bosnia and Herzegovina).
UN Human Security Trust Fund Victim Assistance Project in Sudan of (1) data collection on the needs of survivors and services available, (2) national work plans and strategies, and (3) pilot interventions to address the rights of survivors and persons with disabilities (Mr. Davide Naggi, UN Mine Action Office, Sudan)
Efforts to advance the rights of survivors in Cambodia (Mr. Chan Rotha, National Director, Cambodia).
Introduction of the human rights treaty reporting database on EMINE (Mr. Richard Kollodge, Information Unit Manager, UNMAS).
Rapporteur: Mr. Richard Kollodge, Information Unit Manager (UNMAS)
13:30 – 14:30 - Lunch
14:45 – 16:00 Plenary Session Four
Topic: Release of Land through Actions Other Than Clearance
Objective:
There are many concurrent activities being undertaken in relation to the release of land through actions other than clearance. GICHD undertook a study and produced a guide to land release in 2007, and the Survey Action Centre (SAC) recently completed a five-country study on best practices and facilitated a workshop over the period of 10-11 April 2008. UNMAS has also initiated a review of the IMAS, conducted jointly with the GICHD. This session will provide an update on the results of the SAC study and workshop, provide an update on the status of IMAS revisions and discuss one of the fundamental issues associated with the topic, liability. Feedback from the field programmes will assist the identification of best practices in the field and help shape the ongoing revisions to the IMAS.
Chair: Mr. John Flanagan, Acting Director (UNMAS)
Presenters:
Mr. Alistair Craib (Survey Action Centre)
Mr. Tim Lardner (GICHD)
Rapporteur: Ms. Yngvil Foss, Programme Officer (UNDP)
16:15 – 18:00 - Visit to the Slovenian Institute for Rehabilitation and Mine Victim Assistance Institute
18:30 – 20:00 - Official Opening Reception hosted by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovenia with ITF
Opening remarks by Mr. Andrej Šter, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovenia
TUESDAY, 15 April 2008
07:45 - Depart Ljubljana, Slovenia
11:00 – 13:00 - Field Visit to Cerovac Testing Site, Croatia
A demonstration will be organised by CROMAC and will cover accreditation procedures, including the certification of machines, metal detectors and Mine Detecting Dogs, at the Cerovac test site en route from Slovenia.
13:00 – 14:00 - Lunch
17:00 – 18:00 - Arrival at Hotel Ivan of Solaris Holiday Resort Complex and Check-in
19:00 - Welcome Reception
WEDNESDAY, 16 April 2008
Šibenik, Croatia
09:00 – 09:30 Plenary Session Five
Opening Statements:
Opening statement by Mrs. Đurđa Adlešič, Vice Prime Minister, Republic of Croatia
Opening statement by Mr. Oto Jungwirth, Director of the Croatian Mine Action Centre
Welcome address by Mr. John Flanagan, Acting Director, UN Mine Action Service on behalf of the UN Mine Action Team
09:30 – 10:15 Plenary Session Four (continued)
Topic: Release of Land through Actions Other Than Clearance
Objective: As a continuation of the session held on 14 April 2008, the case study of Bosnia Herzegovina will be examined, particularly in relation to the issue of liability of national authorities. Presentation will be followed by general discussion.
Chair: Mr. John Flanagan, Acting Director (UNMAS)
Presenters: Mr. Ahdin Orahovac, Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre (BHMAC)
Rapporteur: Ms. Yngvil Foss, Programme Officer (UNDP)
10:15 – 10:30 Plenary Session Six
Topic: National Capacity Development and Transition
Objective:
Central to assisting mine-affected states to successfully respond to the risks posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) is the development of sustainable national institutions. The organisational commitment and capacity building mandates of the UN Mine Action Team and numerous humanitarian mine action partners are focused on building the requisite national capacities to reduce the impact of landmines/ERW, at which point the UN and international assistance is no longer needed. The objective of this session is to discuss how national programmes can best formulate capacity development needs and strategies in support of national capacity development and transition. It is recognised that the commitment of national governments to strengthen engagement, to do their utmost to allocate national funds, to identify and retain capable human resources and to develop and sustain institutional capacities are pivotal to meeting mine action goals and successful transition to national authorities.
This session will begin with a brief introduction by UNDP (Mr. Olaf Juergensen, presentation) and UNICEF (Mr. Sharif Baaser, presentation) on these topics and an explanation of the structure of the planned breakout sessions to follow.
10:30 – 10:50 - Coffee and Movement to Breakout Sessions
10:50 – 13:00 - Breakout Sessions
Five breakout groups will each discuss the key elements for a successful transition process and the challenges therein. The output of the session will be a checklist compiled by each of the groups that can act as a road map for a transition process and which can serve as a tool for monitoring and evaluation as well as a guide for support by the UN in the field and from headquarters.
Discussion will focus on three areas:
1) National capacity for resource mobilisation, allocation and management; 2) National technical and operational capacity; and 3) Integration and mainstreaming mine action into broader national plans and strategies.
Group 1: French-speaking
Chair: Lt. Col. Alouine Ould Mohamed El Hacen (Mauritania)
Rapporteur: Ms. Lydia Good (UNDP)
Group 2: English-speaking I
Chair: Mr. Mohammed Breikat (Jordan)
Rapporteur: Ms. Katrine Kristensen (UNDP)
Group 3: English-speaking II
Chair: Mr. Arben Braha (Albania)
Rapporteur: Mr. Reuben McCarthy (UNDP)
Group 4: United Nations Advisers and Programme Managers I
Chair: Mr. Zachary Taylor (UNDP)
Rapporteur: Ms. Julie Myers (UNICEF)
Group 5: United Nations Advisers and Programme Managers II
Chair: Mr. Mohammad Sharif Baaser (UNICEF)
Rapporteur: Mr. Steve Munroe (UNDP)
13:00 – 14:30 - Lunch
14:30 – 15:30 Plenary Session Six (continued)
Report to Plenary on National Capacity Development & Transition
Facilitator: Mr. Olaf Juergensen, Chief Technical Advisor (UNDP Jordan)
Presenters: Representatives from each of the working groups.
Rapporteur: Ms. Katrine Kristensen, Programme Analyst (UNDP)
15:30 – 16:45 Plenary Session Seven
Topic: "Hard Talk"
Chair:Mr. Ben Lark, Head of Weapon Contamination Sector (ICRC)
Objective:
This is the third year that a 'hard talk' session has been included in the formal agenda. The aim is to generate an environment conducive to discussion and debate.
Participants will be able to ask questions anonymously from the full range of topics covered during the week or on any other topic that is relevant and of interest to mine action. Participants can choose also to indicate to whom the question should be addressed. Chatham House rules will apply.
16:45 – 17:00 - Coffee
17:00 – 18:15 Plenary Session Eight
Topic: Meeting Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention Obligations: Article 5 Extensions
Objective:
An update of the status of this process and have a clear understanding of the calendar as it concerns specific States Parties will be provided to help ensure that relevant national directors, their staff and their UN advisors are aware of the Article 5 extensions process. Representatives of States Parties will be on hand to present their experiences in preparing requests and, in particular, to share ways in which they have provided the detailed information required for States Parties to make informed decisions at the Ninth Meeting of States Parties. The exchange of views will also extend to how a well-prepared extension request can serve as a means to reinvigorate interest in a national programme and to mobilise resources.
Chair: Mr. Arben Braha, Director, Albania Mines Action Executive (AMAE)
Presenters:
Mr.Kerry Brinkert, Director, Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit (GICHD)
Presentations by Ms. Mila Massango, Mozambique and Mr. Mijienko Vataric, Croatia
Rapporteur: Ms. Ban Yaseen (GICHD)
18:30 – 20:30 - Official Opening Reception hosted by the CROMAC
THURSDAY, 17 April 2008
Šibenik, Croatia
09:00 - Depart for Field Demonstration
10:30 – 12:30 - Field demonstration at Gaj Test Site by CROMAC on New Technology, Croatia
The field demonstration will include actual demining machines and the use of these machines in quality control. The demonstration is designed to illustrate the advantages of using machines in the demining process as well as the use of sampling methods developed for quality control purposes.
12:30 – 13:30 - Lunch
14:15 - Arrive in Šibenik
The following are side meetings organised during the week.
14:30 – 16:00 - Committee on Mine Action Meeting
Chair: Mr. John Flanagan (UNMAS) on behalf of United Nations Mine Action Team
16:30 - 18:00 - UNOPS Briefing to Implementing Partners
Chair: Mr. Paul Heslop, Senior Technical Advisor (UNOPS)
18:30 – 20:30 - Official reception hosted by the United Nations Mine Action Team
FRIDAY, 18 April 2008
Šibenik, Croatia
09:00 – 09:45 Plenary Session Nine
Topic: Update on Gender Action Plans
Objective:
The objective of this segment is to provide an update on the status of implementation of the gender action plans in three programmes (Lao PDR, Cambodia and Jordan). The discussion will therefore enable the sharing of experiences, lessons learned and best practices amongst participants and the panel.
Chair: Ms. Susan Helseth, Deputy Programme Director (UNMACA)
Presenters:
On Lao PDR:
Mr. John Dingley, Senior Technical Advisor, UNDP;
Mr. Bounpone Sayasenh, National Programme Director, UXO LAO; and
Dr Maligna Saignavongs, National Programme Director, National Regulatory Authority
On Cambodia:
Mr. Chan Rotha, National Director
On Jordan:
Mr. Mohammad Breikat, National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation
Rapporteur: Mr. Tim Horner (UNDP)
09:45 – 10:25 Plenary Session Ten
Topic: What's New?
Chair: Mr. Harouna Ouedraogo, Programme Manager, Democratic Republic of Congo
Rapporteur: Mr. Noel Mulliner, Technology Coordinator (UNMAS)
Topics:
09:45 – 10:05: GICHD – overview of past year by Mr. Ian Mansfield
10:05 – 10:25: Update on Anti Personnel Mine Ban Convention Standing Committees and on Article 7 reporting by Mr. Kerry Brinkert (GICHD)
10:30 – 10:40: Mine Risk Education Emergency Kits by Mr. Mohammad Sharif Baaser (UNICEF)
10:40 – 10:50: Cluster munitions – basic chronology by Mr. Steve Munroe, Programme Manager, UNDP, Cambodia
10:50 – 11:00: Comments and Assessments from Donor Representatives
Rapporteur: Ms. Karin McLennan, Transition Planning Officer (UNMAO, Sudan)
11:00 – 11:30 Plenary Session Eleven
Closing Statements
Speakers:
Mr. Luka Buhin, Project Manager, International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF)
Mr. Oto Jungwirth, Director, Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC)
Mr. John Flanagan, Acting Director, United Nations Mine Action Service
Friday/Saturday: departure of participants