The Sri Lanka delegation attended and presented at the 29th International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and United Nations Advisers (NDM-UN29), held from 22–24 April 2026 at the International Conference Center Geneva (CICG). The meeting was convened by the United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action (IACG-MA) and co-hosted with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), with the generous support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

The delegation was led by Eng. L. Kumudu Lal Bogahawatta, Secretary to the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply, and National Director of Mine Action. Members of the delegation included Mr. Mahinda Wickramasingha, Deputy Director of Mine Action, Mr. B.Sri Mallikarachchi, IM Advisor, GICHD/NMAC, along with representatives from Sri Lanka’s local demining organizations, including Colonel Sarath Jayawardhana (Retired) (Director/ Programme Manager, SHARP), General  Sumith Balasuriya (Retired) Director/ Field Reporting Officer, and Major General Udaya Kumara (Retired), Donor and Stakeholder Manager from DASH.

The delegation also held bilateral discussions with key officials from the HALO Trust and MAG, both of which have played a vital role in Sri Lanka’s mine action programme since its inception. Although they were not part of the official Sri Lankan delegation, their longstanding operational presence and technical contributions remain essential to the programme’s progress.

The delegation actively participated in NDM-UN29, sharing Sri Lanka’s progress, current status, and future priorities in mine action. Discussions focused on securing sustained funding and strengthening international partnerships to achieve national targets and meet global obligations.

Throughout the forum, the Sri Lankan delegation engaged with donor countries, international organizations, NGOs, and the Sri Lankan Mission in Geneva. These engagements highlighted Sri Lanka’s success as a mine action case study and demonstrated its commitment to completing clearance efforts across the country.

A side event titled “Ensuring Safe and Credible Land Release: Sri Lanka’s Completion Survey Process and Lessons Learnt” was held on 24 April 2026. The event was attended by H.E. Sumith Dassanayake, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, along with high-level officials from donor countries, international organizations, programme managers, country directors, researchers, academics, and members of the Sri Lanka Mission.

Speaking at the side event, National Director of Mine Action of Sri Lanka, Eng. Kumudu Lal Bogahawatta, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply, along with panelists from NMAC and GICHD, shared updates on Sri Lanka’s Mine Action Strategy and the Completion Survey Dashboard. They also discussed the progress and ongoing challenges of the country’s Mine Action Programme.

Highlighting key concerns, Ms. Åsa Massleberg, Programme Manager and Senior Advisor for the Strategic Planning Programme, GICHD and the National Director emphasized that Sri Lanka is facing significant challenges due to funding shortfalls compared to previous years, as well as the discovery of previously unknown contamination. These factors make it unrealistic to achieve planned targets within the expected timelines. Accordingly, based on current funding forecasts and established financial planning tools, the National Director noted that, following consultations and analysis, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is expected to request an extension of its mine action deadline by March 2027.

The Deputy Director and Information Management (IM) Advisors explained how Sri Lanka is conducting the completion survey process, underscoring its importance to the Mine Action Programme. Key elements include real-time monitoring, structured workflow validation, and enhanced data transparency and accountability. These ensure that the completion survey process remains credible, traceable, and aligned with international standards.

The SHARP Programme Manager highlighted that one of the major challenges affecting the ongoing Completion Survey is the shortfall of funding. As a demining operator in Sri Lanka, SHARP has been directly impacted by these financial constraints. Not only SHARP but all the other operators HALO Trust, MAG and DASH will be directly impacted with reduction and unemployment of cadres, and also extend the completion date beyond the Article 5 deadline and impose a strain on the remaining donors

The DASH Consultant further emphasized DASH’s role in supporting mine action through a data-driven approach. Given that the completion process relies heavily on robust information management, accurate data systems—such as IMSMA—are essential for documenting cleared areas, defining final perimeters, and incorporating newly identified contamination into the national strategy. The Donor and Stakeholder Manager elaborated on how DASH contributes to the National Mine Action Programme by strengthening data collection, analysis, and reporting mechanisms.

The session was moderated by Ms. Saritha Ranatunga, Minister-Counsellor, and provided an opportunity to showcase Sri Lanka’s achievements, ongoing challenges—including funding constraints—and its continued commitment to fulfilling Article 5 obligations and achieving a mine-free status.

Sri Lanka reaffirmed its dedication to advancing its Mine Action Programme through sustained international cooperation and support.