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The GICHD supports mine action and ammunition management at the national, regional, and international levels, often acting as a bridge builder between high-level multilateral processes, regional and national systems, and evolving realities on the ground.

This allows the Centre to be a trusted convener, bringing stakeholders to the table– national authorities, operators, researchers, donors, international organizations–to further strengthen the sector and ultimately make this world a safer place. 

A road map for the future: the Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan 

In 2024, the GICHD made significant technical and strategic contributions to shape the Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan at the Fifth Review Conference of the APMBC.

This five-year plan sets priorities to guide the implementation of the Convention until 2029. It not only strengthens global commitments but also links mine action to broader goals like food security, gender equality, and environmental sustainability.

The Centre’s long-standing commitment to EO risk education (EORE) led to a milestone decision. From now on, EORE will be part of discussions on States Parties’ progress under Article 5, which sets out the obligations to find and clear anti-personnel mines in their territories. The GICHD also made a strong case to keep inclusive language in the Action Plan, which was upheld despite differing State positions.  

A global summit for mine action practitioners 

Over 600 participants from around the world came to Geneva to exchanged expertise and collaborated on best practices at the 27th International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and United Nations Advisers, co-organized by the GICHD and the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), in April 2024.

In addition to unpacking topics from innovation to reducing harm to civilians, an entire day focused on bringing together National Mine Action Directors for peer learning, prioritizing and exchange, which does not happen at this scale at any other meeting.

“It’s important that we don’t forget the problems from countries that had conflicts decades ago, with this meeting we can refocus but also reaffirm that mine action is important and saves lives, so that we can keep focus and funding to execute our activities”, says Eva Veble, NPA, an NDM participant. 

Coordination for stronger mine action in Ukraine 

The 2024 Ukraine Mine Action Donor Coordination Workshop in Kyiv, co-hosted by the GICHD and the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, brought together representatives from more than 50 countries and organizations to align donor contributions with Ukraine’s national mine action priorities.

Participants reaffirmed that continued collaboration, lean and efficient processes, and continued commitments by all stakeholders are essential to achieve the goal of bringing back 80% of mine contaminated land to productive use in Ukraine within the next decade.

The meeting set the stage for the Ukraine Mine Action Conference in Lausanne in October 2024. The GICHD also supported the development of Ukraine’s National Mine Action Strategy and action plan, which were formally launched in 2024.  

"The GICHD plays a crucial role in collaborating with the Ukrainian authorities to enhance the framework conditions, processes, and the exchange of information between national and international actors, thereby increasing demining capacities. Ultimately, this benefits the people living here," stresses Ambassador Simon Geissbühler, former head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs’ Peace and Human Rights Division.  

"The help from our partners plays an essential role in our ability to effectively address the challenges in mine action. Long-term cooperation at both the strategic and tactical levels is crucial for our shared successes'

Yulia Svyrydenko First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, about the importance of cooperation at the 2024 Ukraine Mine Action Donor Coordination Workshop,co-hosted by the GICHD.

From commitments to action: regional dialogues on the Global Framework for Ammunition   

In 2024, the GICHD provided technical expertise and strategic insights to a series of informal regional meetings convened by UNODA to advance the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management (GFA). Held across four regions—Latin America, West Africa, East Africa, and the Asia-Pacific—these meetings unpacked the GFA’s 15 objectives and facilitated early exchanges on regional and national implementation.

The Centre supported these efforts by delivering technical presentations, moderating breakout discussions, and helping to identify key gaps, challenges, and areas for international cooperation. This reinforced the Centre’s trusted role in promoting safe, secure, and sustainable ammunition management, and set the stage for the Preparatory Meeting of States in 2025.

2024 GICHD events in numbers

1842
event participants
32 %
women
68 %
men
  • 63 events
  • 62% national org
  • 78% EO-affected countries

Back to the Annual Report 2024