The MDD Advisory group
The Advisory Group has become an important forum for exchange of experience and ideas among the major part of the MDD sector. Instead of locating these meetings in Geneva, it has proved useful to ask organisations (commercial and non-commercial) to host these meetings in theatres where breeding, training and demining is undertaken. The spin-off effect of participants being able to see what other organisations are doing is particularly positive. The Advisory Group has also established itself as a central forum for the MDD industry, showing a clear responsibility for overall development and improvement. One example is the creation of the Mine Dog Detection Standards Implementation Support Committee (MD SISC) at the 4th Advisory Group meeting (Lubango, January 2002). This initiative shows evidence of maturity and responsibility for overall improvement of the MDD sector.
Additional networking
The GICHD arranged several REST workshops with resource people from the REST community.
A close collaboration between the GICHD and most of the demining organisations and research establishments involved in mine dog detection worldwide has resulted in new partnership agreements and a higher degree of cooperation within the MDD community.
