Work History by Country: Yemen

Yemen Landmine Impact Survey

Country: Yemen

Status: Past

Start: Jul, 1999

End: Jul, 2000

The Landmine Impact Survey conducted in the Republic of Yemen from July 1999 to July 2000 conclusively identified 592 landmine and/or unexploded ordnance (UXO) impacted communities and 1,078 Suspected Hazard Areas. The survey covered at least 95% of the suspected landmine/UXO-impacted communities in the country with a high degree of confidence.

The landmine-impacted communities are distributed in 18 governorates, primarily in the south and central portions of Yemen. There are an estimated 828,000 Yemeni civilians, roughly 6 percent of the total population, living in these communities. This means that at least one in every 16 Yemenis lives or works near or is otherwise affected by the presence of landmines. One thousand seventy-eight distinct mined areas were located with a total reported surface area of 923 million square meters.

Results indicated a tendency for mine-affected communities to be grouped together into “clusters” of contamination. Two large clusters dominate the dispersal pattern of affected communities, concentrating the adverse impacts of mines in an area straddling six governorates. Additionally, there are several smaller clusters as well as a residual set of communities widely dispersed across the country.

With the completion of this survey, Yemen received the most comprehensive set of landmine/UXO-related socio-economic impact data in the world. These data supported development of effective national plans to target areas posing the greatest threat and communities bearing the greatest impact.

This survey was requested by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) on behalf of the Yemen National Demining Committee (NDC), which is chaired by the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs. iMMAP implemented the survey in conjunction with the Afghan-based Mine Clearance Planning Agency (MCPA) in accordance with the guidelines and protocols set forth by the Survey Working Group (SWG). Funding for the survey was provided by the governments of Canada, the United States, Germany, and Japan, and included partial matching by the United Nations Foundation. The survey was made possible through a contracting mechanism and with the support of in-country U.N. staff provided by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

THEME:

Mine Action

Donors
Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
United Nations Foundation
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
German Government