FOREWORD BY THE DIRECTOR

In 2012, the GICHD’s work was guided by the new Strategy 2012-2014 and its two key objectives, which are to accelerate progress towards global clarity on the extent of contamination and to enhance the capacities of national authorities in mine-affected countries.

SUMMARY

This document provides simple practical guidance on land issues for mine action organisations. It covers the following topics: why land matters for mine action; land rights and land release; what mine action organisations can do; and where to get additional information and support.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Albania’s mine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination problem is a result of the 1999 Kosovo conflict. Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) laid landmines along both sides of Albania’s border with Kosovo, in the north-eastern Kukës region.

The Albanian Mine Action Committee and the Albanian Mine Action Executive (AMAE) were established by the government in 1999. In 2002, the UNDP initiated a capacity building project to build mine action coordination and monitoring capacity.

WORKING CONTEXT

Anti-personnel (AP) mines, cluster munitions (CM) and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) affect civilians indiscriminately and remain an impediment to development long after the cessation of armed conflict. More than one-third of the world’s countries remain contaminated by these weapons.

INTRODUCTION THE NEED FOR A GUIDE AND THE TARGET AUDIENCE

INTRODUCTION

The international community has discussed the impact of mines other than antipersonnel mines (MOTAPM) for several years. The First Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in 1996 resulted in the adoption of Amended Protocol II, which is less restrictive with regard to the use of MOTAPM than with regard to the use of anti-personnel mines (APMs). Since then, efforts have continued in exploring the need and options for further legal regulation.

INTRODUCTION

Le Centre international de déminage humanitaire – Genève a publié en 2011 la deuxième édition française de son Guide de l’action contre les mines (quatrième édition anglaise). Il est conçu comme un document général d'introduction aux domaines clés de l’action contre les mines, à l'intention des diplomates, des donateurs, des juristes, des praticiens et des chercheurs.