UNMAS in the Territory of

10,516 kilometres of roads and 148.8 million square metres of land in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm, assessed as safe from explosive hazards, enabling MINURSO peacekeeping operations. 37 of 61 known minefields and 459 of 515 known cluster strike areas released. 24,494 sub-munitions, 8,830 items of explosive remnants of war (ERW) and 7,870 landmines removed and destroyed, east of the berm, enhancing the safety of MINURSO peacekeepers, locals and nomadic herdsmen. 3,321 MINURSO personnel and 73,343 men, women, boys and girls, including nomadic herdsmen, east of the berm, received ERW awareness briefings and explosive ordnance risk education, enhancing awareness on the dangers posed by ERW. 48 survivors of mine/ERW accidents and 400 of their dependents, east of the berm, benefited from victim assistance projects, allowing for survivor socio-economic reintegration into their communities.

The Territory of Western Sahara is heavily contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). The contamination is a result of the conflict that took place between 1975 and 1991 between the Royal Moroccan Army (RMA), and the military forces of the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Sahraui el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO). A 2,700 kilometre long sand berm stretches from inside southern to the Atlantic ocean at Guerguerat, dividing the Territory into western and eastern parts. Approximately 1,465 kilometres are heavily impacted by landmines and ERW, including cluster munitions. These explosive ordnance continue to endanger the lives of United Nations military observers monitoring the ceasefire, humanitarian work, nomads, people living in settlements as well as the livestock they depend on.

UNMAS operates as a component of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Operating from the MINURSO Headquarters in Laayoune (Territory of Western Sahara) and the MINURSO Liaison Office in Tindouf (Algeria), UNMAS serves as the United Nations focal point for mine action related activities within the MINURSO area of operations. Thanks to funding from donors, UNMAS has reduced the threat posed by landmines and ERW by conducting humanitarian mine clearance, stockpile destructions, explosive ordnance risk education, capacity enhancement of local organizations and by providing assistance to survivors of mine/ERW accidents.

Activities under the MINURSO Assessed Budget Since 2008, UNMAS has played a critical role in facilitating MINURSO mandate. By clearing minefields and cluster munition strike areas as well as conducting route verification, UNMAS enables MINURSO military observers to safely monitor the ceasefire and the safe passage of humanitarian aid workers and vulnerable local and nomadic populations. In addition, UNMAS delivers ERW awareness briefings for MINURSO military and civilian personnel, enhancing their awareness on the dangers posed by ERW.

In line with the UN and UNMAS gender strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals, UNMAS continues to encourage gender equality in mine action and peace operations.

Activities under the Voluntary Trust Fund (VTF) for Mine Action Through a generous contribution from the Spanish Government, UNMAS is currently supporting the socio-economic reintegration of Nomads meeting UNMAS, providing information on possible explosive threats in areas east of the berm survivors of landmine/ERW accidents in the Sahrawi refugee camps Photo Credit: UNMAS in Tindouf. The project is implemented in cooperation with the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Landmines (ASAVIM). Moreover, UNMAS supports the Sahrawi Mine Action Coordination Office (SMACO) with unearmarked funding from the Danish Government. Such funding allows for SMACO day-to-day operations. In addition, UNMAS mentors SMACO personnel , enhancing their capacity to allow for independent coordination of mine action activities in accordance with International and local mine action standards.

UNMAS operations in the Territory of Western Sahara are funded from MINURSO budget (US$3.265 million per year). This allows for the deployment of two multi-task teams and one area reduction team.

The Swiss Government provides in-kind specialist personnel to logistics, risk education and information management. In addition, for 2019-2020, the Government of Spain is supporting UNMAS with $67,660 while the Government of Denmark contributed $60,000.

Any additional funds received will allow for the deployment of more teams east of the berm and the subsequent release of high priority hazardous areas. Funding is also sought to support victim assistance, explosive ordnance risk education and capacity enhancement.

For more information: Leon Louw, Programme Manager, UNMAS Western Sahara, [email protected] Edwin Faigmane, Programme Officer, UNMAS Western Sahara, [email protected] Paul Heslop, Chief of Programmes, UNMAS New York, [email protected]

Statistics are from 2008 to December 2019 Updated January 2020

Agwanit AoR Hazard ID sqm Type Agwanit 20509 96,048 Cluster Area Agwanit 20510 7,315 Cluster Area Agwanit 20514 14,243 Cluster Area Agwanit 20529 36,162 Cluster Area Total 153,767

AoR Hazard ID sqm Type Agwanit L/MF/10588 54,506,435 Minefield Agwanit L/MF/10589 28,246,952 Minefield Agwanit L/MF/10597 5,493,523 Minefield Agwanit L/MF/20515 645,082 Minefield Agwanit L/MF/20544 2,616,045 Minefield Agwanit L/MF/30034 3,609,072 Minefield Agwanit L/MF/54 10,000 Minefield Agwanit L/MF/55 26,300 Minefield Agwanit L/MF/56 24,998 Minefield Total 95,178,406

Bir Lahlou AoR Hazard ID sqm Type Bir Lahlou L/CA/503 18,555 Cluster Area Bir Lahlou L/CA/506 58,114 Cluster Area Bir Lahlou L/CA/508 10,400 Cluster Area 87,069

AoR Hazard ID sqm Type Bir Lahlou L/MF/10042 304,407 Minefield Bir Lahlou L/MF/60 93,005 Minefield Bir Lahlou L/MF/61 20,000 Minefield 417,412

OPEN HAZARDS AGWANIT/BIR LAHLOU JAN 2020 Tifarity AoR Hazard ID sqm Type Tifarity L/CA/446 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/447 23,991 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/448 11,800 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/449 21,461 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/471 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/472 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/478 17,802 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/479 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/480 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/481 40,215 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/483 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/490 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/491 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/496 22,646 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/497 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/509 10,185 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/510 14,223 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/511 180,744 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/512 10,000 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/513 23,200 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/514 21,712 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/515 11,236 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/516 11,183 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/517 11,137 Cluster Area Tifarity L/CA/518 15,093 Cluster Area Totals 536,628

AoR Hazard ID sqm Type Tifarity L/MF/20359 78,800 Minefield 78,800

OPEN HAZARDS TIFARITY JAN 2020 AoR Hazard ID sqm Type Mijek 10446 393,593 Cluster Area Mijek 10454 116,866 Cluster Area Mijek 30010 325,598 Cluster Area Mijek 50092 40,884 Cluster Area Mijek 50112 4,835 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/276 16,813 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/278 99,578 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/279 5,455 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/312 18,683 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/314 12,762 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/315 9,873 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/316 35,488 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/489 10,000 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/498 23,485 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/499 19,545 Cluster Area Mijek L/CA/50119 5,018 Cluster Area Total 1,138,476

AoR Hazard ID sqm Type Mijek L/MF/20366 31,108 Minefield Total 31,108

OPEN HAZARDS MIJEK JAN 2020