Mauritania

In 2022, the Programme National de Déminage Humanitaire pour le Développement (PNDHD) released two small mined areas, one containing anti-personnel (AP) mines, the other containing anti-vehicle (AV) mines. Reporting did not detail how many mines were discovered and destroyed. Based on current clearance output, Mauritania is not on track to fulfil its Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) Article 5 clearance obligations by its deadline of end of 2026. In 2022, Mines Advisory Group (MAG) secured Norwegian government funding to conduct capacity and needs assessments and to create a capacity development plan with the PNDHD.

• Mauritania should continue its efforts to mobilise the necessary international funds and operational support to enable it to fulfil its Article 5 obligations.
• Mauritania should report on its AP mine contamination accurately, consistently, and in accordance with the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS), including through timely submission of Article 7 reports. It should disaggregate AP mined area and mixed AP and AV mined area from areas only containing AV mines. It should also report on the number of mines (disaggregated by type) discovered and destroyed during land release operations.
• The PNDHD should update its national mine action standards (NMAS) to ensure they are in accordance with the latest IMAS.
• Mauritania should conduct technical survey (TS) to establish a more accurate baseline of AP mine contamination and better determine the size of the identified confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs).
• Mauritania should establish a sustainable national capacity to address any residual AP mine contamination discovered following the fulfilment of Article 5 obligations.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2023" report for Mauritania.