Western Sahara

There was a substantial increase in land release output from 2023 to 2024, with a doubling of clearance and, for the first time since 2018, release of mined areas through non-technical survey (NTS). The Saharawi Mine Action Coordination Office (SMACO) developed a new mine action strategy for 2024–28, although this is currently only available as a short summary document in Arabic and will require review in 2026. It does not include a completion date for mine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) clearance.

• The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic should reaffirm its written commitment to implement the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), including clearance of all anti-personnel (AP) mines east of the Berm, consonant with its international human rights obligations. The commitment should include annual submission of a voluntary Article 7 report. 
• Greater support should be provided to SMACO to enable it to continue to coordinate mine action east of the Berm, and to ensure that capacity development efforts are not wasted.
• Mine action in Western Sahara must not become forgotten or overlooked by the international community. Support must still be given to address the remaining mine, cluster munition, and other explosive ordnance contamination.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2025" report for Western Sahara.