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Afghanistan, Angola, Balkans, Caucasus (Armenia; Azerbaijan; Georgia), Colombia, Eritrea-Ethiopia, Great Lakes, Iraq, Lebanon, Nepal, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Russian Fed. - Chechnya, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Uganda, West Africa

Countries
Afghanistan
+ 18 more
Sources
UNMAS
Publication date

Foreword

The tenth edition of the Portfolio of Mine Action Projects reflects the mine-action community's commitment to work together to achieve its shared goal of eliminating landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW).

Each of the submissions is the result of field-based, coordinated and consultative processes among national authorities, nongovernmental organizations, and the United Nations. The project outlines contained herein are representative of priorities found in national mine action strategies for 2007, and support progress towards national development objectives and, ultimately, the Milennium Development Goals.

Again this year, representatives of donor governments and organizations present in mine and ERW-affected countries participated in local coordination meetings to bring ideas and insights on how funding priorities could be addressed.

This is the first edition of the Portfolio since the UN Inter-Agency Coordination Group for Mine Action, which I chair, endorsed a five-year Mine Action Strategy (2006-2010). The overarching goal of the Strategy is to work in partnership with national authorities, nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, international and regional organizations to reduce the humanitarian and socio-economic threats posed by landmines and ERW, at which point direct United Nations mine action assistance will no longer be necessary. Projects outlined in the Portfolio elaborate on how the objectives set forward in the Strategy can be achieved and implemented.

The launch of the 2007 Portfolio coincides with the entry into force of Protocol V on explosive remnants of war of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. When widely ratified and adhered to, this new international instrument is expected to dramatically improve post-conflict efforts to clear unexploded and abandoned ordnance, and improve the security of civilians and humanitarian and peacekeeping personnel. Projects presented in the Portfolio outline actions to address the humanitarian and developmental impact of mines as well as ERW.

A number of countries in the Portfolio are bound by their obligations to the Anti Personnel Mine Ban Treaty to clear all known mined areas under their jurisdiction or control in the next several years. Their project submissions in the Portfolio should reflect national strategies designed to meet these obligations, but their ability to do so in practice will often depend on resource availability and local capacity. I urge donors not to waver in their commitment to and support of countries striving to meet treaty obligations, and strongly encourage affected countries to devote national resources to mine action to the fullest extent possible.

Much has been achieved over recent years in the long struggle to rid countries of the threat and very existence of landmines and ERW. Much still remains to be done. The 2007 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects is an important contribution to our collective global efforts.

Jean-Marie Guéhenno
Under-Secretary-General
United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations
November 2006

2007 Portfolio Highlights

Country/territory representation

The tenth edition of the annual Portfolio of Mine Action Projects features overviews and project outlines for 29 affected countries/territories. This represents four fewer countries than in 2006. New submissions and updates will be available throughout the year at www.mineaction.org.

Record-level participation continues

The 2007 Portfolio continues to see an unprecedented level of participation by appealing agencies, including national authorities, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations and United Nations agencies, funds and programmes. A record 116 appealing agencies submitted proposals for this Portfolio, compared to 103 in 2006, 91 in 2005 and 83 in 2004. There are 300 projects in the Portfolio, including Global activities, which marks a modest decline compared to last year's 350 projects.

As with last year, approximately half of the projects were submitted by either international or national NGOs. National NGOs submitted 24 per cent of all projects in 2007, either individually or as a partner appealing agency.

There are more cases of joint appealing agencies than in previous years, including many NGO and UN agencies partnering with government bodies.

Record funds secured - overview of budgets and funding shortfalls

The combined budgets of all projects in the 2007 Portfolio total US$ 429 million. A record amount in funding - US$ 111.7 million - has already been secured by some appealing agencies, leaving a shortfall of US$ 317.5 million. Funding shortfalls for both victim assistance and mine risk education decreased compared to last year.

Africa leads again with the most projects (127). Asia continues to lead with the highest funding appeal of US$ 189 million.

Over half of the Portfolio appeal is for clearance

Clearance activities account for 55 per cent of the funding shortfall in the 2007 Portfolio, compared with 48 per cent in 2006. Projects covering more than one pillar of mine action (labeled as "multiple") and that often address capacity building and coordination account for 34 per cent of the overall funding shortfall in 2007, compared with 37 per cent a year earlier.

In 2007, the number of victim assistance projects (74) represents 25 per cent of the total 300 and is second only to "multiple" projects (116), which represent nearly 39 per cent. There are an equal number of projects (52) submitted for mine risk education and for mine clearance. Of course it is also true that most "multiple" projects contain a landmine and explosive remnants of war clearance component, making clearance activities by far the most prevalent component of the Portfolio.

Increased focus on explosive remnants of war

The 2007 Portfolio presents an unprecedented number of clearance, mine risk education and victim assistance projects requiring funding to address the humanitarian and socio-economic impact of landmines and other explosive remnants of war, including unexploded ordnance such as cluster munitions, and abandoned explosive ordnance.

Portfolio of Mine Action Projects: Questions and Answers

What is the Portfolio?

The Portfolio of Mine Action Projects is a resource tool and reference document for donors, policy-makers, advocates, national and international mine action implementers. The country-specific proposals in the Portfolio reflect the strategic response developed in the field to all aspects of the problem of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). This country-based approach aims to present as comprehensive a picture as possible of the full range of mine action needs in a particular country and thematic issues related to mine action. The Portfolio ideally reflects projects developed by mine and ERW-affected countries based on their priorities and strategies, and approaches are endorsed by national authorities. The Portfolio does not automatically entail full-scale direct mine action assistance by the UN but is in essence a tool for collaborative resource mobilisation, coordination and planning of mine action activities involving all stakeholders. A Country Portfolio Coordinator (CPC) leads each Country Portfolio Team and coordinates the submission of proposals to the Portfolio's Headquarters Team. While the majority of the CPCs are UN officials, this role is increasingly being assumed by national authorities. The Country Portfolio Teams include representatives from national and local authorities, nongovernmental organizations, the UN, and the private sector. Locally-based donor representatives are invited to attend preparation meetings.

Each Portfolio chapter contains a synopsis of the scope of the landmine/ERW problem, a description of how mine action is coordinated, and a snapshot of the local mine action strategies. Many of the strategies complement or are integrated into broader development and humanitarian frameworks such as national development plans, the UN Development Assistance Frameworks, and national poverty-reduction plans.

The tenth edition of the Portfolio marks the initiation of a web-based submission and production process that will enhance fund tracking and facilitate updating throughout the year.

Which parts of the united nations participate in the Portfolio process?

Fourteen UN agencies, programmes, departments and funds are involved in mine action, and each may choose to submit project proposals to the Portfolio through the field-based preparation process. UN headquarters entities submit "global" mine action project proposals reflecting the budgets for their respective core headquarters-based activities. The UN Headquarters Portfolio Team, based in New York, consists of representatives from the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), as Coordinator, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). This team compiles all submissions from the field into this annual publication and makes the contents available online at the Electronic Mine Information Network, or E-MINE, at www.mineaction.org. Detailed information on the role of the UN mine action team and each of its members can be found in the document: Mine action and Effective Coordination: the UN Inter-Agency Policy online at www.mineaction.org.

What is an "appealing agency"?

Appealing agencies are the national authorities, nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, and UN entities which appeal for funding for mine action activities.

What is an "implementing partner"?

Implementing partners include national authorities, national and international nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, UN entities, commercial companies, and military institutions which conduct mine action operations and activities on behalf of appealing agencies. Implementing partners are listed in each project submission.

What is in a typical project proposal?

Each project proposal is limited to one page and includes: a description of objectives; goals; planned activities; expected outcomes; the name of the appealing agency; a list of implementing partners; the total budget; and the amount of funding requested for the coming year(s). Project codes for ongoing projects remain the same from year to year. New projects receive new codes reflecting the year first submitted. Projects are identified by mine action pillar. Contact details for each project are provided for ease of reference and for ease of follow-up by interested donors.

How current is the information in the Portfolio?

In most cases, overviews for countries and funding needs for individual projects were current as of late September 2006. After the Portfolio is published, the country overviews and project proposals are posted online at the Electronic Mine Information Network at www.mineaction.org. A revision of the printed version will be available online at the end of March 2007. Funding updates and substantive revisions can be posted online upon request. Mid and end year reviews of the Portfolio are also posted online.

How can a new country/territory be added to the Portfolio?

Countries that are not currently in the Portfolio can find information about participating by contacting the Headquarters Portfolio Team at dpko-mines-portfolio@un.org.

How does the Portfolio complement the consolidated Appeals Process (cAP)?

Each year a number of countries featured in the Portfolio are also included in the annual UN Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP).

Inter-Agency Standing Committee Working Groups established at field level under the leadership of the UN Resident/ Humanitarian Coordinator in specific countries emerging from or in the midst of conflict or humanitarian emergencies identify and agree on priorities for the coming year as part of the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP). Based on a Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) outlining the strategic plan for the humanitarian response, the CAP presents priority funding appeals. These humanitarian appeals are often known as the Consolidated Appeals, but in some cases are known as Work Plans or Action Plans.

Portfolio Country Team members, and Country Portfolio Coordinators (CPCs) in particular, are engaged in the production of the CAP to ensure coherence between the proposed response to the landmine/ERW problem presented in the Portfolio and the humanitarian appeal. Depending on the humanitarian priorities in a given country, mine action might appear in a CAP as a distinct sector or as part of a larger sector such as "protection", "health" or "education".

The HQ Portfolio Team coordinates regularly with the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) in Geneva to ensure consistency of information related to the mine action sector on both the Portfolio fund tracking system (at www.mineaction.org) and the CAP Financial Tracking Service (FTS) managed by OCHA ( at www.reliefweb. int/fts).

The print version of the 2007 Portfolio was launched prior to completion of the 2007 CAP and therefore does not fully indicate which Portfolio projects are also included in the CAP. This information will appear in the electronic version of this Portfolio at www.mineaction.org.

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