National Steering Committee Meeting on Mine Action – 28 February 2025
After several years, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) convened the National Steering Committee Meeting on Mine Action on 28 February 2025, under the chairmanship of the Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development Construction and Housing, with the National Director of Mine Action leading the discussions. This initiative has taken several steps to strengthen the mine action programme and address the challenges faced by demining organizations on the ground. Ms. Åsa Massleberg, Programme Manager and Senior Advisor for Strategic Planning at the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), attended the meeting and provided strategic insights on how the Sri Lanka Mine Action Programme can achieve its Article 5 obligations under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC). She highlighted key challenges, including funding constraints and the discovery of unknown contamination during completion surveys, which can directly impact Article 5 obligations. Additionally, she reiterated GICHD’s commitment to working alongside Sri Lankan authorities in: The meeting was attended by high-level officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Services, Ministry of Environment, and the Department of Forests. All programme managers and representatives from Mine Action Organizations (HALO Trust, MAG, DASH, SHARP, SLA HDU) participated, along with Mr. Vidya Abhayagunawardena, Coordinator of the Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD), Sri Lanka, and Mr. Prasanna Kuruppu, an Independent Researcher/Consultant on Disability Affairs. All key officials from the Ministry, NMAC, and RMAO were also in attendance. Key Points Highlighted by the National Director All mine action operators (HALO Trust, MAG, DASH, SHARP, SLA HDU) presented their contributions to Sri Lanka’s mine action programme, highlighting progress, challenges, and recommendations for the way forward. Key Points from Representatives Ministry of Foreign Affairs & UN Department Ministry of Environment & Department of Forests Ministry of Health Ministry of Social Services Ministry of Finance Remarks by Mr. Vidya Abeygunawardana Mr. Vidya Abeygunawardana emphasized the following key areas of discussion:
Meeting With Country Directors/Programme Managers
A special meeting was conducted under the Additional Secretary (Projects/National Director of Mine Action) on 30th January 2025 at 10.00am at the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction and Housing to discuss the Action Plan 2025, current situation of the Sri Lanka Mine Action Programme, and affect due to the temporary freeze of US donor funds from 24th January 2025. temporary freeze of US funds has severely impacted the Mine Action Programme in Sri Lanka, particularly in achieving the expected clearance targets for this year. At the meeting, we focused on streamlining Mine Action activities in alignment with the Sri Lanka Mine Action Strategy through a results-based Action Plan for 2025. The Deputy Director, Chief Field Engineer from the Sri Lanka Army, along with senior Sri Lanka Army officials, all Programme Managers from HALO Trust, DASH, SHARP, and the Country Director from MAG, and key officials from their respective organizations, NMAC officials, and the IM Specialist from GICHD/NMAC, participated in the meeting. The following key decisions were made during the meeting · Execute immediate awareness for the Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and organize a high-level discussion · Organize a donor meeting immediately under the Minister of this Ministry, involving all current donors and potential new foreign delegations. · All issues that cannot be resolved at the Operational and Review stages will be taken to the National Steering Committee (NSC) meeting under the Secretary of this Ministry. · Organize a high-level event during International Mine Action Week in April, inviting key officials and delegations. · Enhance communication on mine action activities by sharing updates through the website and social media platforms.