Mali

Last Updated: 01 October 2011

Mine Action

Contamination and Impact

Mines

Mali has a problem with antivehicle mines in the north of the country.[1] The precise extent of the threat is not known, although in September 2009 Mali reported 80 mined areas in the regions of Tombouctou and Kidal, particularly along the roads between Tinza and Abubaza.[2] Mali repeated this information in September 2010, suggesting limited progress in demining.[3] In 2008, Mali had suggested, implausibly, that the extent of contamination was approximately 2,000km2.[4]

As of August 2011, there were unconfirmed reports suggesting possible use of antipersonnel mines by Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in an area towards the border between Mali and Mauritania.[5] Other reports suggested that AQIM were laying antivehicle mines only.[6] On 28 June 2011, three civilians were said to have been killed in a mine explosion in western Mali where Mauritanian and Malian troops were conducting joint operations against AQIM.[7] Mali has not submitted a Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report since 2005, in which it declared that there were no mined areas on its territory.[8]

Cluster munition remnants and other explosive remnants of war

It is not known to what extent Mali is contaminated with explosive remnants of war (ERW). It has not reported publicly on its destruction of ERW during demining operations, although its initial report in accordance with Article 10 of Protocol V of the Convention on Conventional Weapons was due on 22 April 2010. There is no evidence of any cluster munition remnants in Mali.

Mine Action Program

Key institutions and operators

Body

Situation on 1 January 2011

National Mine Action Authority

CNITMA

Mine action center

None

International demining operators

None

National demining operators

Malian Armed Forces

The National Commission for the Total Ban of Antipersonnel Mines (Commission Nationale pour l’Interdiction Totale des Mines Antipersonnel, CNITMA), which was created in June 2002, is nominally the national mine action authority in Mali.[9]

Mali has previously noted a number of obstacles to clearance, including the lack of experience of its demining personnel; difficult climatic conditions in the affected areas (heat and movement of sand); the lack of mine maps; and the insufficiency of resources (personnel and equipment).[10] There were no projects for Mali included in the UN’s 2010 or 2011 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects.[11]

Land Release

Demining in Mali is carried out by the army’s two engineering teams using manual clearance methods and their own standing operating procedures. It has not reported in detail on clearance in 2009 or 2010, although it declared the clearance of five antivehicle mines during 2009.[12]

Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Mali was required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 March 2009. Mali has never declared a problem with antipersonnel mines and did not request an extension to its Article 5 deadline.

Other Risk Reduction Measures

Mali has reported a major mine awareness effort in the north of the country.[13]

 



[1] Email from Seidina Dicko, Deputy Director, Army Engineer Corps, 30 March 2009; and see, for example, Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), “Mali: Synthèse d’informations de l’action contre les mines et les restes explosifs de guerre (dont sous-munitions)” (“Mali: Overview of information on mine action and ERW (including submunitions)”), Second African Francophone Seminar on Mine and ERW Action, Dakar, Senegal, 2–4 November 2009.

[2] GICHD, “Mali: Overview of information on mine action and ERW (including submunitions),” Second African Francophone Seminar on Mine and ERW Action, Dakar, Senegal, 2–4 November 2009.

[3] GICHD, “Mali: Overview of information on mine action and ERW (including submunitions),” Third African Francophone Seminar on Mine and ERW Action, Nouakchott, Mauritania, 27–30 September 2010.

[4] GICHD, “Synthèse d’informations: Mali” (“Information Overview: Mali”), Seminar of African Francophone Actors of Mine and ERW Action, Benin, 20–22 October 2008, www.gichd.org.

[5] See, for example, “AQIM accused of laying mines in Mali-Mauritania border,” 24 June 2011, Ennahar Online, www.ennaharonline.com.

[6] See, for example, “Al-Qaeda: Mali troops build up defences,” News24, m.news24.com.

[7] “Three killed in Mali mine explosion,” Radio Netherlands Worldwide Africa, www.rnw.nl.

[8] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for the period 1 May 2004 to 1 May 2005), Form C.

[9] Presentation by Mali, Seminar of African Francophone Actors of Mine and ERW Action, Benin, 20–22 October 2008, www.bibliomines.org.

[10] Ibid.

[11] UN, “2010 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects,” New York, November 2009; and “2011 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects,” New York, March 2011.

[12] See, for example, GICHD, “Mali: Overview of information on mine action and ERW (including submunitions),” Third African Francophone Seminar on Mine and ERW Action, Nouakchott, Mauritania, 27–30 September 2010.

[13] See, for example, GICHD, “Mali: Overview of information on mine action and ERW (including submunitions),” 30 September 2009, Second African Francophone Seminar on Mine and ERW Action, Dakar, Senegal, 2–4 November 2009.