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Lebanon

IMPACT

 

  • Provision of technical guidance and Quality Assurance (QA) oversight of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) demining and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to facilitate UNIFIL’s efforts to mark the Line of Withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel, also called the Blue Line, thereby contributing to security and stability in the region.

 

  • Support to the Lebanon Mine Action Centre (LMAC) for the coordination of UNIFIL demining operations to contribute towards humanitarian clearance of landmines and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) impacting communities in the UNIFIL area of operations.

 

  • QA / Quality Control (QC) of UNIFIL demining and EOD teams from Cambodia and China through training support, validation, and monitoring to ensure they are operating safely and in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures, National Mine Action Standards, and relevant International Mine Action Standards.

 

  • Provision of landmine / ERW and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) safety and awareness trainings for UNIFIL, Observer Group Lebanon (OGL), and other United Nations agency personnel, along with Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) events and school engagement activities, contributing to safety and security of communities and United Nations personnel.

 

ABOUT

 

Contamination from landmines and other ERW impacts more than 6.9 million square metres of land within the UNIFIL area of operations and endangers the lives of local populations and United Nations personnel.

 

The economic crisis facing Lebanon has resulted in increasing numbers of people engaging in risk-taking activities and a continuation of people becoming injured or killed by explosive ordnance. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) UNIFIL works in support of UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and resolution 2650 (2022) to encourage “the parties to resume and accelerate their efforts in coordination with UNIFIL to …. visibly mark the Blue Line in its entirety…”, and to provide UNIFIL and OGL personnel the knowledge required to safely operate in environments where the presence of landmines and other ERW is known and/or suspected. UNMAS also supports the LMAC by coordinating EORE activities for local schools and communities in the UNIFIL area of operations.

ACTIVITIES

 

The UNIFIL J3-Combat Engineer Section coordinates operations for eight demining teams provided by Cambodia and China. UNMAS UNIFIL supports the teams through the provision of QA monitoring, validation, provision of technical advice, and refresher training. UNMAS also provides landmine/ERW and IED safety and awareness briefings for UN personnel. Additionally, in keeping with UNIFIL’s Protection of Civilians Strategy, UNMAS coordinates UNIFIL support to EORE activities for local populations under the lead of the LMAC.

 

September 2023 Achievements:

 

  • 20 QA/QC monitoring visits to the Chinese and Cambodian Multi-Role Engineering Units’ demining tasks.

 

  • 1 completion QA visit to a CHINMEU completed site.

 

  • 1 landmine/ERW and IED safety and awareness briefing for 6 OGL/UNTSO Observers as part of their induction to UNIFIL.

 

  • UNMAS and UNIFIL, in collaboration with the Lebanon Mine Action Center and Mines Advisory Group, organized an Explosive Ordnance Risk Education session in Halta, benefiting a total of 150 children.

 

FUNDING

 

UNMAS UNIFIL activities are funded by the UNIFIL Assessed Budget for the 2023/24 fiscal year ending on 30 June 2024.

 

Data as of October 2023