Oslo Action Plan
At the 4th Review Conference of the APMBC in Oslo (2019), all 164 States Parties to the Convention adopted the Oslo Action Plan bringing forward 50 actions for the period 2020–2024, reiterating mine action’s role as “a key enabler for development, humanitarian action, peace and security”. The Oslo Action Plan emphasises that the implementation of the Convention contributes to advancing the attainment of the SDGs. In this context, its Action #6 calls the Convention’s States Parties to “Strengthen partnerships and integrate responses between the mine action community and relevant humanitarian, peacebuilding, development and human rights communities, bearing in mind the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Draft Lausanne Action Plan
110 States Parties to the CCM, observer Sates, international organisations and NGOs are to convene in November 2020 and February 2021 for the Second Review Conference of the Convention. The informal draft of the Lausanne Action Plan highlights that alongside addressing the humanitarian consequences, the implementation of the Convention is essential for ensuring progress in other areas such as developmental efforts and the Sustainable Development Goals, amongst others. Moreover, Action #41 of the draft Action Plan states: “When seeking assistance, develop coherent and comprehensive national plans aimed at developing national ownership, based on appropriate surveys, needs assessments and analysis and providing national capacity. These plans will take into account broader frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals and respond to the needs and experiences of affected communities and will be built on sound gender, age and disability analysis. These plans should adequately reflect the areas in which assistance is required.” Today, explosive ordnance (EO) continues to pose a serious threat to civilians causing thousands of deaths and injuries per year. EO can restrict the free movement of people and their activities as well as inhibiting access to natural resources, thus negatively affecting the social and economic development prospects of the affected communities. In 2019, the GICHD, in cooperation with King’s College London (KCL) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) conducted a pilot study to depict the socio-economic impact of anti-vehicle mine (AVM) contamination in Angola and the benefits of AVM clearance on sustainable development. 6 The study showed the drastic effects of mine contamination on agriculture, infrastructure and access to social services. Moreover, the Angolan case study emphasised the benefits of mine clearance, across the SDG spectrum. 7 Despite the evident connection between mine action and development, clear and direct linkages have not been properly identified in the past—mainly because the MDGs had a limited focus on peace and security. In contrast, the 2030 Agenda gives prominence to peace and development, which is also affirmed and articulated by a separate SDG (SDG 16) aimed to promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies. In 2017, the GICHD and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conducted a joint study to better understand the linkages between mine action and the SDGs and the extent to which mine action is contributing to and impacting the 2030 Agenda. 8 The study concluded that 12 SDGs are directly linked to mine action, and also found indirect links with another four SDGs.
To better understand such linkages in practice, the case studies of two countries – Bosnia and Herzegovina and Lao PDR – provide insights regarding their respective national experience.
Introduction
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