Country & Territory Reports - Landmine Action

114 mauritania, moldova
Mauritania
Background
Mauritania’s MOTAPM and ERW problem is a result of the
conflict in Western Sahara from 1975-1978.
Assessment of the problem
Significant numbers of MOTAPM and ERW have been
cleared in Mauritania. The bulk of clearance activities have
taken place along the border with Western Sahara, in
particular in the following towns: Nouadhibou, Zoueratt,
Bir Mogrein, F’derick (Tiris-Zemour). However, MOTAPM
and ERW have also been cleared in towns such as Nema
and the capital Nouakchott. 1236
Impact
According to the UN, at least 33 vehicles have been
destroyed in Mauritania by mines, presumably MOTAPM,
between 1978 and 2003. 1237 The UN has also noted that
mine/ERW contamination puts pastoralists and their animals
at risk. 1238 The U.S. Department of State has reported that
Background
The territory of what is now Moldova saw conflict during
both the 1914-18 and 1939-45 Wars, with changing front
lines and bombing of the hinterland. On 31 August 1991,
Moldova proclaimed independence from the USSR. After
the declaration of independence the internal Transnistrian
conflict broke out. The separatist “Transnistrian” region
was supported by the USSR/Russian 14th Army.
Currently, efforts to settle the Transnistrian problem are
sponsored by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
The withdrawal of Russian forces became a stumbling block,
however, and despite agreements in 1999 and 2002 this
withdrawal has been subject to delays.
Impact
German and Soviet UXO in the former battlefield areas of
the 1939-45 War constitute the bulk of the problem in
erw and motapm – global survey 2003–2004
“remaining landmines and unexploded ordnance in northern
Mauritania continue to hinder economic development.” 1239 In
2001, the President of the Mauritanian Agricultural Engineers
Association told Landmine Monitor that ERW and mines
hamper “iron ore extraction, coastal fishing, trade through
the overland route from Morocco, and tourism in coastal and
desert areas.” 1240
Efforts to address the problem
The National Humanitarian Demining Office (NHDO),
established in 2002, is responsible for coordination of
mine action in Mauritania. NHDO clearance and mine risk
education teams work with the French NGO HAMAP-
Demineurs to clear contaminated land and provide risk
education to affected communities. 1241
Legislation
Mauritania has been a State Party to the Ottawa
Convention since January 2001. Mauritania is not a State
Party to the CCW.
1236 Landmine Monitor 2004, p. 567-68.
1237 UNMAS Country Profile, Mauritania, accessed 29 November 2004 at: http://www.mineaction.org/countries/countries_overview.cfm?country_id=758
1238 UNMAS, “Portfolio of Mine Action Projects 2004”, December 2003.
1239 To Walk the Earth in Safety: The U.S. Commitment to Humanitarian Mine Action, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, August
2004, accessed on 29 November 2004 at: http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/walkearth/2004/37227.htm.
1240 Moulaye Moulaye Omar, President, Association Mauritanienne des Ingénieurs Agronomes et Filières Associées, Nouakchott, 10 February 2001, cited
in Landmine Monitor 2004, p. 566.
1241 Article 7 Report, Form G3, 18 June 2004.
Moldova
Moldova. UXO constitutes a more serious threat than
landmines, with the most dangerous areas being those
where trench battles took place, resulting in greater
density of contamination. A substantial amount of UXO
contamination has been found in the Ribnita, Dubasari,
Tiraspol and Bender areas of the Transnistrian region. 1242
Former USSR munitions stores abandoned in Moldova
present a risk of ordnance theft and of uncontrolled
explosions. One such abandoned store is situated in
Colbasna village, in the north of Transnistrian region, near
the border with Ukraine. The store used to serve the
Military District of Odessa but became more congested as
ammunition was taken there with the withdrawal of the
USSR from countries of the Warsaw Pact. About 60 per cent
of the ammunition (26,000 tons approximately) is not safe
to transport and should be destroyed in place. 1243 In 2002,
equipment was imported from Germany to assist with the
destruction of this ordnance. 1244