Mozambique

Mozambique announced it had fulfilled its Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) Article 5 survey and clearance obligations in September 2015, to date one of the most heavily affected states to have done so. However, in 2016, additional anti-personnel mine contamination was discovered in Cabo Delgado province, which was subsequently surveyed and cleared, with the release of nearly 139,000m² in May 2017. Mozambique informed APMBC states parties of the discovery and clearance of this previously unknown and unreported anti-personnel mine contamination at the Convention’s Intersessional Meetings in June 2017.

As at September 2018, four small areas suspected to contain anti-personnel mines, previously disclosed by Mozambique, remained submerged in Inhambane province. Mozambique reported the area had again been surveyed in June 2018 to confirm the mined areas are still under water, and it reiterated its pledge to continue to monitor the situation and to release the mined areas as soon as dry access can be gained.Statement of Mozambique, Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2018.

• Mozambique should undertake all efforts to address the four remaining submerged suspected mined areas as soon as possible, ensure that they are clearly marked and monitored, and report on the status of the areas to APMBC states parties regularly.
• Mozambique should ensure sufficient national capacity remains in place to deal with mine or explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination. If future mine contamination is suspected or confirmed, Mozambique should inform states parties to the APMBC of all mined areas found, request another extended APMBC Article 5 deadline if required, and report on the status of programmes for their release.
• Mozambique should ensure that the national mine action database is transferred to an appropriate government ministry and that resources are allocated to maintain the database.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2018" report for Mozambique.