This week (7th – 11th April), a MAG delegation joined international partners in Geneva for three key events on the humanitarian disarmament and mine action calendar: the Intersessional Meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), the Ukraine Mine Action Partner Coordination Workshop, and the 28th International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and UN Advisers (NDM-UN).
These fora offered vital opportunities to reflect on global progress, address shared challenges, and strengthen the partnerships that underpin life-saving work around the world.
Intersessional Meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions
At the CCM Intersessional, MAG’s Director of Policy and Strategic Partnerships, Jo Dresner, delivered a statement reaffirming MAG’s support for the Convention and its humanitarian goals. She commended Lebanon and Mauritania for their significant progress toward completing clearance of known contamination and raised concerns about the impact of budget cuts on key activities such as risk education, victim assistance, and clearance.
Jo also emphasised the Convention’s critical role in the broader humanitarian disarmament framework, underscoring its importance in protecting civilians from the devastating effects of cluster munitions – both during and long after conflict.
Ukraine Mine Action Partner Coordination Workshop
MAG’s Director of Programmes, Greg Crowther, and Regional Director Jess Hyland represented MAG at the Ukraine Mine Action Partner Coordination Workshop. The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders – including the Government of Ukraine, local innovators, and international donors – to explore practical solutions to the technical, financial, and coordination challenges facing Ukraine’s mine action sector.
At the event, MAG reinforced its commitment to supporting Ukraine’s recovery and doing everything possible to protect communities and save lives.
Credit: GICHD
28th International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and UN Advisers
Held under the theme ‘Safe Futures Start Here’, the 28th NDM-UN provided a valuable platform for national authorities, donors, and implementing partners to exchange lessons and best practices from across the sector.
MAG hosted a side event on embedding sustainability into mine action from the outset, drawing on our experiences in Lebanon and Syria. This session was delivered in collaboration with the White Helmets, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), and the Lebanon Mine Action Centre (LMAC). The event, which explored how different stakeholders, including mine action centres and civil society organisations, can contribute to develop sustainable national capacity nationally and regionally, was chaired by Ambassador María Bassols, representative of Spain at the UN Conference on Disarmament.
We also participated in several other important side events, covering a range of critical topics. These included discussions on challenges and opportunities in Syria’s mine action response, climate and environmental risks, the contribution of humanitarian mine action to communities’ resilience, and the strengthening of local capacity to respond to explosive injuries. These sessions highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge and collaboration across the sector to further drive progress.
Throughout the week, one message was clear: while the mine action sector is diverse in its actors and approaches, it is united by a shared commitment to protecting civilians from the indiscriminate harm caused by landmines, cluster munitions, and explosive ordnance.
It was equally evident that the sector’s strength lies in collaboration. From innovative technologies to locally led solutions, the level of expertise and adaptability on display reflects the progress made, and the potential for even greater impact.
As the sector faces increasing global needs and funding challenges, these fora served as a timely reminder of the essential role mine action plays in enabling peace, development, and long-term stability.
Today, it is more important than ever to reaffirm our commitments and ensure that the progress made over decades is not reversed.
We leave Geneva with renewed determination to meet these challenges together – and ensure no one is left behind on the path to a safer future.
