Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 1271^st meeting on the Commemoration of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, held on Tuesday, 1 April 2025.

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on the Commemoration of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, particularly Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1146 (2023)] adopted at its 1146^th meeting, held on 3 April 2023;

Also recalling Article 7.1(n) of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), which empowers the PSC to promote and encourage the implementation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)/AU, United Nations (UN) and other relevant international Conventions and Treaties on arms control and disarmament; as well as the AU Mine Action and Explosives Remnants of War Strategic Framework (2014-2017);

Highlighting the critical importance of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) also known as the Ottawa Convention, the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in strengthening and upholding the norms against explosive weapons on the Continent;

Faithful to Resolution [CM/Res 1593] on the “UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and Problems Posed by the Proliferation of Anti-Personnel Mines in Africa”, adopted at the 62nd Ordinary Session of the OAU Council of Ministers, in June 1995, which, inter alia, called for the total ban of anti-personnel landmines and the universalization of the relevant legally binding instruments, and endorsed measures to address the impact of landmines and the developments that led to the adoption of the Common African Positions on landmines; and also faithful to Decision [CM/Dec.363 (LXVI)] adopted by the 66th Ordinary Session of the OAU Council of Ministers, in May 1997, in Harare, Zimbabwe;

Taking Note of the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Uganda to the African Union as Stand-In- Chairperson of the PSC for April 2025 and the introductory remarks by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; also Taking Note of the  presentation by Ms. Rania Machlab, the Head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to the African Union, the statements by the representatives of AU Member States, the statements by the representatives of the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms and the European Union; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council,

1. Expresses deep concern over the continuing threat posed by anti-personnel mines, Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), and the growing danger of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), along with their devastating humanitarian consequences and impact on social and economic development in Africa;

2. Commends all Member States that have signed, ratified and domesticated the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its additional Protocols, and the Cluster Munition Convention and encourages all Member States that have not yet done so, to also do the same and to adopt national legislation to effectively prevent local communities from becoming victims of mines, cluster munitions and other remnants of war;

3. Encourages  Member States to redouble efforts in mobilizing resources for the effective provision of medical, psychological and socio-economic support to victims of land mines and IEDs in Africa; as well as to create conducive conditions for the effective participation of victims of land mines and IEDs in peacebuilding and recovery efforts;

4. Emphasizes the need to continue promoting national ownership over mine action and explosive management activities, and also the need for Member States to hold the primary responsibility for developing and implementing national mine action programs;

5. Also expresses deep concern over dwindling funding support for mine action, which is hindering demining efforts in Member States contaminated with landmines and ERW, forcing these nations to drastically scale back their Land Mine Action programs and clearance operations;

6. Reiterates the call for the establishment of a continental mechanism for mine action, responsible for coordinating and supporting the demining efforts of Member States, raising awareness on anti-personnel mines and explosive threats, advocating for victim assistance, and mobilizing and directing resources for response measures;

7. Congratulates all Member States that have successfully eradicated landmines in their countries and encourages them to share   their experiences, lessons, and best practices  as well as technologies, and to also contribute towards the  capacity building efforts of other Member States facing the scourge of landmines and remnants of war, within the framework of South-South cooperation;

8. Commends the AU Commission for the continued provision of technical assistance, financial resources, and capacity-building initiatives  to Member States in their Mine Action programs;

9. Emphasizes the urgent need for the AU Commission to share the updated AU Strategy on Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), as well as the Draft AU Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) Strategy, with Member States for review and validation;

10. Underscores the need for Member States to scale up the mobilization of technical and financial support for the disposal of obsolete explosives and ammunition to prevent unplanned explosions;

11. Appeals to all international partners to renew their commitment and allocate more resources to assist Africa in efforts to completely eradicate landmines and explosive remnants of war;

12. Also encourages Member States to  further strengthen  their national regulations and control measures for materials and components used in  the manufacturing of landmines and IEDS;

13. Further encourages Member States to improve their landmine clearance technologies, including the transfer of new demining technologies, among others through the establishment of synergies  with humanitarian agencies, private sector,  research institutions, and  think tanks ;

14. Emphasizes the need to address the permanent needs of Mine survivors and their families, including the physical, psychological, and socio-economic  rehabilitation programs, as well as the need for the establishment of orthopedic centres with required capacities; 

15. Encourages all Member States to urgently review and adapt military policies and practices and to adopt policy measures limiting the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area in populated areas unless sufficient mitigation measures are taken to limit their broad area effects and the risk of civilian harm;

16. Requests the AU Commission to continue sensitizing Member States in promoting a better understanding of the humanitarian impacts of explosive weapons, including landmines and cluster munitions in populated areas, as well as the importance of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA) Political Declaration, and the policy and practical changes it seeks to generate; and in this context, encourages Member States that have not yet done so,  to endorse the EWIPA Political Declaration;

17. Encourages Member States to actively participate in the preparations for the upcoming Second International Conference on the Political Declaration, to be held in Costa Rica in November 2025, including by drafting a Common Plan of Action outlining steps in support of the Declaration;

18. Urges AU member States to prioritize programs on education and awareness raising on the risks posed by explosive ordnance; and stresses the need to promote safe behavior awareness tied to long-term actions and livelihoods programs that enable affected communities to live more safely in contaminated areas;

19. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

COMMENTS