§ John BarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of unexploded landmines in Eritrea. [82758]
§ Mr. RammellThe United Nations Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE MACC) has reported that no recent estimate has been made of the number of unexploded landmines in Eritrea as a whole. It is estimated that no more than 100,000 of the approximately 250,000 landmines laid during the 1998–2000 conflict remain in the UNMEE-monitored Temporary Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia, 85W from which approximately 4,000 landmines have so far been cleared. There is no reliable data on contaminated areas or numbers of landmines for the rest of the country. A country-wide Landmine Impact Survey is currently being conducted by the UN Development Programme, the results of which are due in mid-2003.
§ John BarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of unexploded landmines on the demarcation of the disputed border between Ethiopia and Eritrea. [82663]
§ Mr. RammellThe United Nations Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea Mine Action Co-ordination Centre (UNMEE MACC) has reported that, based on detailed reconnaissance of the new border line, it is estimated that up to 150 border pillar sites may be contaminated by landmines or unexploded ordnance (UXO). All access routes to the border to be utilised by the demarcation survey and pillar construction teams have to be checked and cleared of mines where necessary. UNMEE has been mandated by the Security Council to conduct demining operations in support of the demarcation teams, and UNMEE MACC is co-ordinating and managing this project. The EU has provided Euro 1 million to the Border Commission Trust Fund for Quality Assurance and Explosive Detection Dog support contractors to supplement the UNMEE assets to be utilised for the demining support project.