2012 Calendar of Events for Landmines in Africa
Posted: January 3, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Africa, Landmine Monitor, landmines, Mine Ban Treaty 1 Comment2012 promises to be a very busy and exciting year for mine action in Africa. The Mine Ban Treaty will come into force for the world’s newest country, South Sudan, and two nations will be expected to complete their demining obligations (Guinea-Bissau’s deadline of January 1st has already passed as of this writing). On the international calendar, we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Mine Ban Treaty and the start of formal negotiations on an international Arms Trade Treaty after years of preparation and planning. There will be training opportunities for mine action operators and campaigns for mine ban advocates (see the ICBL’s 2012 Action Plan for a complete run-down of their priorities ).
Most of the dates below have come calendars maintained by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR). Please let me know of any other events that should be added to this list; I will also attempt to keep it updated as the year progresses.
Events in 2012:
January 1: GUINEA-BISSAU: Article 5 demining deadline (as extended)
January 13 – February 3: UNITED STATES: “Walk without Fear” exhibition at the MAC Gallery (144 High Street, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA) hosted by Proud Students Againts Landmines and Cluster Bombs (PSALM) and the West Virginia Campaignt to Ban Landmines and Cluster Bombs (WVCBL); more info www.wvcbl.org.
March 1: INTERNATIONAL: Mine Ban Treaty 13th anniversary of Entry into Force.
March 1 – April 4: INTERNATIONAL: ICBL Global “Lend Your Leg” action
March 26 – 30: SWITZERLAND: 15th International Meeting of National Mine Action Programme Directors and UN Advisors in Geneva, Switzerland
March 31: INTERNATIONAL: Suggested deadline for States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention with Article 5 deadlines in 2013 to submit requests for extensions.
April 4: INTERNATIONAL: International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
April 24 – 26: CROATIA: 9th International Symposium “Humanitarian Demining 2012” in Sibenik, Croatia, organized by the Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC) and CROMAC-Center for Testing, Development and Training (HCR-CTRO). For more information and online registration information, visit www.ctro.hr.
April 30: INTERNATIONAL: Deadline for States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention to submit updated transparency information (Article 7 Reports) covering calendar year 2011
May 1: SOUTH SUDAN: Mine Ban Treaty enters into force
May 7-11: SWITZERLAND: GICHD Mine Action Contracting Workshop, http://www.gichd.org/main-menu/operations/contracting-liability-and-insurance/gichd-mine-action-contracting-workshop-7-11-may-2012/, Deadline for applications is March 2, 2012.
May 21- 25: SWITZERLAND: Mine Ban Treaty intersessional meetings in Geneva, Switzerland
July 2-27: UNITED STATES: United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty: http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ATTPrepCom/
August 1: UGANDA: Article 5 Demining deadline (as extended)
September – October: INTERNATIONAL: ICBL countdown to 12MSP
September 18: INTERNATIONAL: Fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention
October: UNITED STATES: First Committee (disarmament) of 67th UN General Assembly in UNHQ, New York, http://www.un.org/disarmament/
November: SWITZERLAND: Convention on Conventional Weapons 5th Review Conference in Geneva, Switzerland
December 3: INTERNATIONAL: 15th Anniversary of signing of the Mine Ban Treaty
December 3 – 7: SWITZERLAND: Mine Ban treaty 12MSP in Geneva, Switzerland
Michael P. Moore, January 3, 2012
Landmines in Africa 
Good article ! I am thankful for the insight – Does someone know if I might obtain a blank Calendar example to work with ?