Based on iMMAP’s positive track record supporting the Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) work done in Iraq by the Directorate of Mine Action (DMA) and the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA), and IMMAP’s involvement at the global level with HMA Information Management (IM), Mr. Juan Carlos Ruan, the Director of the APMBC Implementation Support Unit (ISU), recommended iMMAP to become an official observer of the APMBC Review Conferences.
Moreover, Mr. Ruan urged iMMAP to participate in subsequent conventions as iMMAP delivers valuable work to the HMA community and will raise its profile at global HMA-focused events such as these by sharing the results of our capacity building and analyses to inform stakeholders.
As an official observer at the APMBC, iMMAP will be participating in future Review Conferences to monitor the inner workings of the treaty, contribution of the States Parties, and the side events delivered by the HMA stakeholders.
iMMAP first participated in the Review Conference as an Observer in November 2019, in Oslo, Norway, during which Mr. Ruan noted his pleasure with iMMAP’s attendance and observer status at the Review Conference.
The review conference included side events that were delivered by various stakeholders, highlighting the challenges and accomplishments in AP mine reduction activities and provided an opportunity for organizations to meet with counterparts from across the globe to share knowledge and improve communication and collaboration.
The review conference also offered an opportunity for the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) to hold the inaugural Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) Experts Working Group (EWG) meeting at the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) head office, with leading HMA Information Management (IM) experts such as GICHD, iMMAP, Humanity & Inclusion (HI), United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), The HALO Trust, NPA, Mine Advisory Group (MAG), and the Afghanistan Mine Action Center. The IMSMA EWG will bring together experts in the field to improve the quality of data used for informing decision-makers, devising sustainable development goals, and improve prioritization mechanics for fieldwork.
iMMAP''s presence at the APMBC review conference will allow for knowledge and expertise sharing with other HMA stakeholders across the globe; through many years of presence in Iraq, the most affected country in terms of Explosive Ordnances (EO) contamination, iMMAP has acquired extensive expertise in the area of HMA IM and has applied this expertise to serve Iraq''s most vulnerable communities.