SOUTH SUDAN / UNMAS DEMINING

The United Nations Mine Action Service, an integral part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, responded swiftly when residents in Amadi in Eastern Equatoria State suspected the presence of explosive remnants of war in their community, preventing them from farming. UNMISS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:20
• Production Date: 29 February 2024
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MINE ACTION SERVICE - UNMAS; UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN – UNMISS
• Subject Topical: EXPLOSIVES; MINE CLEARANCE; PEACEKEEPERS; PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 3178987
• Parent Id: 3178987
• Alternate Title: unifeed240229d

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / UNMAS DEMINING
TRT: 03:20
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: PLEASE SEE SHOTLIST FOR DETAILS

Shotlist

7 AUGUST 2023, BENTIU, SOUTH SUDAN

1. Various shots, deminers getting ready

20 FEBRUARY 2024, AMADI, SOUTH SUDAN

2. Various shots, Resident Coordinator in the field
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Anita Kokui Gbeho, Resident Coordinator in South Sudan, United Nations / Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“The fact that a conflict-affected country has had 70 percent of its unexploded ordnance somehow destroyed or removed from where they were buried is because of these teams that operate throughout this country. It is something that we need to be thankful for as foreigners coming here to support South Sudan reach its goals to consolidate peace, to ensure that civilians are protected, and that there's an environment in which humanitarian assistance can be given. This is significant because your work is the base work. Without you, we don't affect the lives of people.”
4. Various shots, deminers at work
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Zehrudin Sukanovic, Chief, Mine Action, Head of Project Unit / Chief of Operations, United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS):
“The mine action and support to the mission also reflects, through the activities that we conduct in clearing the roads, clearing the safe areas for the people to build their homes, in this specific case here in Amadi, where we have worked for almost a year on our task. Basically, it's not just that we create a safe environment for the people to build their homes because now people are expanding the villages, and we are creating a safe neighborhood.”
6. Various shots, Resident Coordinator talking to deminers
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Fula Rashid, Director-General, National Mine Action Authority (NMAA):
“We are grateful for the support that UNMAS is giving us as far as mine clearance and explosive ruminants of war is concerned, because if you see the clearance capacity in South Sudan, 70 percent is being supported by UNMAS with other donors contributing the remaining 30 percent.”

3 NOVEMBER 2021, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

8. Various shots, land

Storyline

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), an integral part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), responded swiftly when residents in Amadi in Eastern Equatoria State suspected the presence of explosive remnants of war in their community, preventing them from farming.

Over the last year, deminers have combed through an area the size of 64 football fields, removing plenty of explosive hazards in the process.

In February, Anita Kokui Gbeho, the recently appointed Deputy Special Representative-Humanitarian for UNMISS and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, accompanied the UNMAS team on the ground.

She explained, “The fact that a conflict-affected country has had 70 percent of its unexploded ordnance somehow destroyed or removed from where they were buried is because of these teams that operate throughout this country. It is something that we need to be thankful for as foreigners coming here to support South Sudan reach its goals to consolidate peace, to ensure that civilians are protected, and that there's an environment in which humanitarian assistance can be given. This is significant because your work is the base work. Without you, we don't affect the lives of people.”

UNMAS sits at the heart of the triple nexus of peace, humanitarian action, and development, enabling the UN peacekeeping mission to implement its mandate, which includes the protection of civilians, creating the conducive conditions necessary for the delivery of humanitarian aid, and supporting the peace process.

In 2023 alone, UNMAS surveyed, cleared, and released over 7 million square metres of land to communities across South Sudan.

Zehrudin Sukanovic, UNMAS Chief of Operations, said, “The mine action and support to the mission also reflects, through the activities that we conduct in clearing the roads, clearing the safe areas for the people to build their homes, in this specific case here in Amadi, where we have worked for almost a year on our task. Basically, it's not just that we create a safe environment for the people to build their homes because now people are expanding the villages, and we are creating a safe neighborhood.”

UNMAS supports the Government of South Sudan in fulfilling its international mine action commitments, not least by helping it join international agreements like the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

This includes helping the Government of South Sudan join international agreements, such as the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which the country ratified in August 2023.

Mike Fula Rashid, Director-General of the National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) of South Sudan, said, “We are grateful for the support that UNMAS is giving us as far as mine clearance and explosive ruminants of war is concerned, because if you see the clearance capacity in South Sudan, 70 percent is being supported by UNMAS with other donors contributing the remaining 30 percent.”