Chair: Mats Berdal, Director of the Conflict, Security and Development Research Group, Programme Director for the MA in Conflict, Security and Development.

Facilitator: Yuliia Chykolba, MA Student at the Department of War Studies, Chevening Scholar, previously worked with UNMAS and DDG in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq.

Speakers:

• Martin Barber, Director of United Nations Mine Action Service in 2000-2005, author of the book 'Blinded by Humanity: Inside the UN’s Humanitarian Operations'
• Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi, Director of the Directorate of Mine Action Coordination, Afghanistan
• Sohaila Hashemi, Communication and Advocacy Officer, UNMAS Afghanistan
• Daniel Bertoli, Head of Programme, Danish Demining Group Afghanistan

 

In April of each year we celebrate the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. The genesis of Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) came about as the humanitarian response to the landmine problem in the context of Afghanistan in the late 1980s. More than 30 years later, in almost all conflict-affected countries there are some forms of Mine Action activities. Humanitarian Mine Action is often seen as a first step towards stabilisation, security and post-conflict development. We will discuss the evolution of the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan (MAPA) over the course of more than 30 years, its major achievements, aspirations and the role of different actors in the Programme.

 

Programme:

• 13:00 – 13:10 - Welcome and Opening (Professor Mats Berdal)
• 13:10 – 13:20 - Historical perspective and creation of HMA in Afghanistan (Martin Barber)
• 13:20 – 13:30 - Current state of the Mine Action Programme in Afghanistan: achievements, challenges, and aspirations in the peace process (Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi)
• 13:30 – 13:40 - Success stories and the evolution of UN involvement in Mine Action in Afghanistan over the course of 30 years (Sohaila Hashemi)
• 13:40 – 13:50 - Humanitarian NGOs as implementing partners of the MAPA: role, recent achievements and aspirations (Daniel Bertoli)
• 13:50-14:20 - Closing remarks and Q&A

 

Bios:

Martin Barber is a former Director of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), and as a Senior UN official, was there at the origin of the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan. He is also author of the book: Blinded by Humanity: Inside the UN’s Humanitarian Operations.

 

Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi is a Director of the Directorate of Mine Action Coordination (DMAC). In 1995 he graduated from the Balkh University of Afghanistan and since 1997 has been working in various positions in demining organisations. He has been working with UN Mine Action since 2002, and in 2013 was appointed as leader of the National Mine Action Authority in Afghanistan.

 

Sohaila Hashemi is a Communication and Advocacy Officer with United Nations Mine Action Service in Afghanistan. She graduated from the American University of Afghanistan and joined UNMAS in 2019 to coordinate communication and advocacy efforts.

 

Daniel Bertoli is a Head of Programmes at Danish Demining Group in Afghanistan. Daniel holds a BA from the University of London and an MPhil from Trinity College Dublin. For the last 10 years he has been working in arms control and humanitarian mine action. Since 2018, he has been leading the Mine Action component of the Danish Refugee Council's work in Afghanistan.

 

This event will be held on Zoom. Zoom details will be sent to registrants via Eventbrite.