19th Meeting of Mine Action National Programme Directors and United Nations Advisers

Between 16 to 19 February 2016, the 19th Meeting of Mine Action National Programme Directors and United Nations Advisers took place in Geneva, Switzerland.

In her address, Ms Rose Gottemoeller, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, U.S. Department of State, emphasized the need to reverse the trend of decreasing financial support for mine action. A continued and enhanced U.S. support to ensuring everyone is able to walk the earth in safety was announced.

Among other interesting topics,  discussions on improving effectiveness of mine action have taken place, exploring the human-centered victim assistance strategies and strategies for reducing vulnerability.

As the 19th International Meeting of Mine Action National Programme Directors and United Nations Advisers came to a close, and as participants took stock of the important discussions, the main conclusion is clear: mine action is an essential part of humanitarian response, and given the current global humanitarian challenges it is high time to better integrate the two sectors of activities, including through the upcoming World Humanitatian Summit. This is something that should be considered by both the mine action sector and the broader humanitarian action community, as well as donors.