Afghanistan

The Directorate of Mine Action Coordination (DMAC) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reached agreement in October 2023 on a framework for technical support through a Mine Action Technical Cell (MATC). This ended a disruptive, nearly two-year hiatus in institutional arrangements for management and coordination of the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan (MAPA). In March 2024, DMAC submitted an Article 5 deadline extension request. However, the final draft of Aghanistan’s extension request was only made available on the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) website in November 2024, after a long delay by the Committee on Article 5 Implementation and the APMBC Implementation Support Unit (ISU) in the processing of the request, due to the IEA’s lack of diplomatic recognition internationally. As a matter of international law, Afghanistan is represented by the Taliban government following its takeover in August 2021. The issue of recognition of the Taliban Government by the UN and individual States Parties is a separate matter from treaty application and implementation, just as it is under international humanitarian law. The Taliban regime is bound directly by all provisions of the APMBC, and it is therefore correct that Afghanistan’s extension request, submitted by DMAC and MAPA, is considered and granted by States Parties at the Fifth Review Conference in November 2024.

• The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) should increase and expedite delivery of national funding for the mine action sector, including by integrating demining into projects undertaken by government ministries.
• The IEA and the Directorate of Mine Action Coordination (DMAC) should enhance the participation of women in mine action.
• International donors should put funding for the critical support provided by the Mine Action Technical Cell (MATC) on a stable, long-term basis.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2024" report for Afghanistan.