August 19th was the first ever World Humanitarian Day, marking the killing of 22 United Nations staff one year ago, and paying homage to the work of humanitarian personnel worldwide and the risks that many of them face daily.
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Ghislain Mayulu, MAG DRC Medic (left) with Laurent Vionnet, MAG DRC Technical Field Manager. |
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MAG DRC Programme Officer Matthew Willner-Reid mans the MAG stand. |
MAG, as an non-governmental organisation often working on the front line of humanitarian aid efforts, participated actively in the events organised in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to mark this day – both in order to raise the profile of Humanitarian Mine Action in the country and to draw attention to the work remaining to be done.
Following a UN event bringing together all humanitarian actors in the country, MAG gave a short technical presentation to the Vice-Prime Minister, UN Humanitarian Coordinator and UN Special Representative, as well as other assorted VIPs, demonstrating in a practical manner MAG’s work in DRC.
The demonstration, conducted by Technical Field Manager Laurent Vionnet with the support of doctor/deminer Ghislain Mayulu, displayed a number of the most commonly found munitions, and the demining techniques that are used by MAG teams to find and neutralise these items.
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A visual presentation organised by Partnerships Officer Alice Richard showed photos of recent MAG deployments in the country, Mine Risk Education materials and examples of deactivated munitions.
Earlier in the day, Programme Officer Matthew Willner-Reid participated in a radio interview, together with the head of the DRC UN Mine Action Coordination Centre, for Radio Okapi, the UN-run nationwide radio station. During the interview, Matthew highlighted the vital work MAG is undertaking in DRC and the risks that items of unexploded ordnance can continue to pose years after the end of conflict.
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A practical demonstration of MAG's work: (left to right) Ghislain Mayulu (MAG); Matthew Willner-Reid (MAG); Vice Prime Minister Francois-Joseph Nzanga Mobutu; Laurent Vionnet (MAG); Alan Doss (UN Special Representative). [Photos: MAG DRC] |
Links:
- Why does MAG work in D.R. Congo?
- MAG DRC microsite - latest news from MAG's work in the country
- Donate to MAG online - more than 90 per cent of MAG's income is spent directly on clearance programmes
- Other ways to Get Involved - shop, run, walk, skydive, drink wine...
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21 August 09
MAG's work in DRC is supported by: Belgian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs; Conflict Prevention Pool; DFID (UK Department for International Development); Dutch
Ministry of Foreign Affairs; UNICEF; Office
of Weapons Removal and Abatement, U.S. Department of State; Sida
(Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency).
