Kinshasa, 13 July 2009 – The Director of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Mr. Maxwell Kerley, is currently visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on a fact-finding mission from 12-17 July 2009.

UNMAS is a division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations section and the focal point of mine action in the UN system. In the DRC, UNMAS is represented by the Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC) which was established in 2000 through UN Security Council resolution 1291, as part of the mandate of MONUC.

Its mission is to evaluate the impact of mine issues and to initiate and coordinate mine action activities and assist the Government in putting in place required structures and capacities. In fact, mine action comprises five complementary groups of activities: mine and unexploded ordnance clearance, mine risk education, victim assistance, advocacy and stockpile destruction.

The first stop of Mr. Kerley's visit will be the capital Kinshasa, where he will meet with Government authorities (Minister for Interior and Minister for Social Affairs) as well as with the President of the National Assembly. Mr Kerley will then travel to Kisangani (Orientale Province) and Goma (North Kivu) to assess progress on mine action activities in the region.

During his stay in Goma, he will lead the monthly coordination meeting of all mine action actors in the DRC, which includes some UN agencies such as the UN High Commissioner (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), as well as international and national non governmental organisations, specialised private companies, and Government representatives through its Focal Point. This forum provides a framework for information sharing and decision making.

To date, the absence of any technical studies notwithstanding, the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) database indicates that the number of dangerous areas (minefields) identified in the DRC has increased from 223 in 2002 to 2002 in 2009.

Between 2000 and 2004, there were on average 350 victims each year. Since the establishment of the mine action programme, which includes providing mine risk education to populations as well as conducting mine clearance operations, the number of victims has dropped (on average 10 victims per year) and 5,370,430 square metres of land has been cleared.