UNMAS and the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to United Nations held two workshops on 4-5 December 2018 to address the understanding of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and what is being done by the United Nations to mitigate this threat. The workshops were interactive and incorporated, not only classical music from the renown UN Chamber Music Society, but also films, virtual reality, robots, bomb suits and an explosive search dog. Lessons learned from UNMAS activities in Iraq, Mali, and Somalia were highlighted.
The workshops emphasized the crucial role that the United Nations must undertake to ensure that there is proper sharing of information about the technology used in the devices being encountered, the need for adequate and evolving training, and the budgets to buy the equipment that will keep explosive ordnance disposal officers, peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel safe.