» Why does MAG work in D.R. Congo?
Having become operational in the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2004, MAG works to reduce the threat posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the country – clearing dangerous areas and using Mine Risk Education (MRE) in order to create safe access to water sources, agricultural land, medical facilities and education centres – and to destroy stockpiles of small arms and light weapons and ammunition.
In the south eastern province of Katanga and the north western province of Equateur, MAG has trained national staff in Community Liaison (CL) and clearance activities, creating seven teams (three CL and four explosive ordnance disposal-trained). These teams operate in contaminated areas where large numbers of returnees are expected over the coming years.
In 2007, the teams provided MRE for more than 263,000 people and cleared more than 243,000 square metres of land, destroying over 83,000 dangerous items in the process.
In September 2006, MAG started an SALW destruction project, responsible for the destruction of surplus munitions and weapons nationwide – a direct contribution to peace building in DRC and the Great Lakes region. The proliferation of SALW remains high and constitutes an ongoing threat to the stability and development of the country. (See: Destroying stockpiles in DRC.)
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In 2007, MAG DRC destroyed more than 83,000 dangerous items. |
Currently, MAG has four mobile destruction teams operating in the Third, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Military Regions (Equateur, Kasai Oriental, Katanga and Maniema provinces) and has trained a team of FARDC (Congolese Joint Forces) technicians to operate MAG's Regional Destruction Center at the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa.
Destructions activities were completed in the First Military Region (Bandundu) in March 2008, will be completed in the Second Military Region (Bas-Congo) over the coming months and will soon begin in Kasai Occidental. MAG has also been asked to intervene urgently in the 8th Military Region (Nord Kivu) to destroy unsafely stored ammunition in order to prevent another accident such as Camp Ngashi.
Since May 2007, MAG has destroyed 70,000 weapons and over 150 tons of surplus ammunition previously held in Congolese Military stores.
Partnerships and Coordination
Since the opening of a liaison office in Kinshasa in January 2005, MAG has become increasingly proactive in building partnerships with the international NGO community, as well as working with the local UN Mine Action Coordination Centre.
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MAG is the only NGO currently authorised by the Congolese government to destroy all surplus small arms and light weapons. |
MAG also cooperates with local NGOs in the field who are able to provide invaluable information about local mine/UXO problems. A partnership for organisational and technical capacity building has been signed until 2012 with Humanitas Ubangi, a local organisation working on MRE in the province of Equateur and hoping to extend its activities to the Kasais. In addition, MAG maintains a regular dialogue with relevant government and military authorities.
Beneficiaries
Working in areas close to the former frontline and with the relevant partner agencies, such as UNHCR, MAG focuses on bringing assistance to those most in need; creating safe access to agricultural land, water sources, medical care and education facilities, particularly in areas of high population return or where humanitarian NGOs need to safely carry out their assistance activities.
Donor Partnership Opportunities
MAG’s objective in DRC is to develop a capacity that is able to respond effectively in aid of post-conflict development in the country by removing the threat caused by landmines, UXO and insecure SALW.
In addition to providing an ongoing response to the hazards encountered by communities in the current area of operations, MAG is aiming to further develop its capacity throughout the country in coordination with the other mine action operators and the national authorities.
As the largest and most productive mine action and conflict recovery operator in the country, and the only NGO currently authorised by the Congolese government to destroy all surplus SALW, MAG is ideally placed to expand operations to meet the needs of affected communities.
September 2008
