About IMAS

The International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) are the standards in force for all UN mine action operations. The Standards were initially endorsed by the UN Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action during a meeting chaired by the Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations on 26 September 2001, and have been added to since then.

The IMAS have been designed through a progressive series of consultative activities involving a broad spectrum of mine action stakeholders. We recognise that the IMAS will continue to evolve and develop, as new standards are completed and approved, and as changes are made to those already issued. Information on the continuous review process is available below. The introductory pages of each IMAS contain information about how to contribute to this process. All users are encouraged to promote IMAS and to ensure that as many people as possible understand their implication and intent. To assist this process the Standards are available for comment on this website and within the mine action community.

IMAS Amendments

The review process can lead to making some changes in an IMAS. If the changes are simple, they will be incorporated into an existing IMAS by an amendment and the latest amendment number will be shown on the IMAS title page. The actual "changes" will be incorporated in the amended IMAS and recorded on an amendment table that will have been added to the specific IMAS. If the "review process" leads to a need for major changes to an IMAS, a new edition will be produced.

Non-English Versions of IMAS

A number of standards have been translated into different languages. Most of these are regarded as "unofficial" because they have not been endorsed by a United Nations formally approved translation service, but they are believed to be accurate translations. Readers should check which date, edition and amendment number the translation refers to, as a later version in English may have been produced.

IMAS in electronic format available at www.mineactionstandards.org

New IMAS on Management of Training PDF 49KB