Contamination and Impact

Mines

Egypt is contaminated with mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), especially unexploded ordnance (UXO) from World War II. Most of the battles took place in the area between the Quattara depression and Alamein at the Mediterranean coast. Other affected areas lie around the city of Marsa Matrouh and at Sallum near the Libyan border.[1]

The full extent of contamination is not known. The joint Egypt/UNDP project document of November 2006 referred to 2,680km² of contamination, which is approximately four times the estimated contaminated area in Afghanistan.[2] An April 2009 assessment by the UN Mine Action Team (UNMAT) cautioned that accumulated data needed to be carefully analyzed in order to not misrepresent the overall mine problem as well as to avoid reporting areas for demining that had already been cleared.[3]

In August 2010, the Executive Secretariat for the Demining and Development of the North West Coast (Executive Secretariat) reported to donors than the army had destroyed 2.9 million mines while clearing 38km² in five areas, leaving more than 16 million mines covering an estimated area of 248km².[4] A government statement reported the existence of a further 5.5 million mines in the Sinai and the Eastern Desert.[5]

The developmental impact of contamination is also said to be significant. The government of Egypt development plans link mine clearance and large-scale development of the northwest coast area. Most projects will require demining support before starting. Population movement and population increases have put increased pressure on land usage, while placing an ever-growing number of people close to mined areas.[6]

Irrigation projects, an essential element in major development projects in desert areas, have experienced delays because of the need to clear mines and UXO.[7]It has been claimed that explosive ordnance in the Western Desert may impede access to an estimated 4.8 billion barrels of oil reserves, as well as 13.4 trillion cubic feet (379 billion m³) of natural gas.[8]New kinds of tourism, such as safari and ecotourism, can encroach on affected areas, increasing the risk of incidents. It is understood that it is necessary to warn people of potential hazards, but there is also a fear of discouraging travel to the country.[9] Towards the large-scale development of the region, UNDP has supported the Ministry of Planning in formulating a US$10 billion development program. The various proposals under consideration could have a considerable impact not only on the northwest coast, but also on the national economy as a whole. The project could create as many as 400,000 jobs and allow 1.5 million people to move into the area by 2022.[10]

Explosive remnants of war

In October 2009, Egypt reported that three-quarters of ordnance remaining from World War II is ERW, while 2.5% are antipersonnel mines, and 22.5% are antivehicle mines.[11]In addition to World War II ordnance, ERW from armed conflicts between Egypt and Israel in 1956, 1967, and 1973 remain to be cleared, especially in eastern areas (the Sinai Peninsula and Red Sea coast).[12]

Mine Action Program

Key institutions and operators

In 2000, the Prime Minister issued a decree establishing a National Committee for Supervising Mine Clearance and the Development of the North West Coast (National Committee) to supervise demining of this area. The National Committee serves as the focal body for the North West Coast Development Plan, approved in October 2005 by the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as for mine action coordination within the Egyptian government. The committee is chaired by the Minister of International Cooperation who oversees and coordinates mine action activities. The committee consists of 20 ministries, four governorates, and five NGOs.

The “Support to the North West Coast Development Plan and Mine Action Program” between the Ministry of International Cooperation and UNDP was signed in November 2006. This project constituted “Phase I,” and focused on the establishment of the Executive Secretariat; the development of a communication and resource mobilization strategy; a pilot demining operation; the introduction of mine/ERW risk education (RE); and a plan for a Phase II.

For Phase II of the project, covering 2011–2015, it is planned to expand mine clearance operations; facilitate development projects in the region; strengthen the Executive Secretariat; and mobilize more resources. As of March 2011, the second phase had not started due to lack of funding.[13] Manal Abdul Aziz, a journalist for Al Arabiya News wrote that when Egypt raises funding issues at international fora and requests assistance from the international community, the response is always “some trivial assistance.”[14]

UNDP has reported that the director of the UNDP National Demining Project and the director of the Executive Secretariat have prepared a background/policy document that outlines the conceptual framework of Phase II, the main issues, and the funding requirements. However, the UNDP consultant’s report on the design and formulation of Phase II was overdue as of early June 2010.[15] As of August 2011, it was unclear when Phase II would begin.

The Ministry of Defense trains the deminers, all of whom are from the army.[16]

Recent program evaluations

In April 2009, UNMAT conducted an assessment of UNDP’s support to mine action in Egypt. UNMAT concluded that Egypt, under the direction of the Executive Secretariat, had made considerable progress in implementing Phase I of the plan. A mine action structure had been created and demining was part of a larger development program. UNMAT recommended more consolidation of the army and civilian components of the development program to ensure its success.[17]

Land Release

Egypt has reported the release of 38.73km² in 2006–2009, approximately 13% of the baseline estimate of 287km². Since then, there has been no further land release.[18]

Summary of land release: November 2006–October 2009 (Phase I)[19]

SHA = suspected hazardous area

Mine clearance in 2010

No mine clearance occurred in 2010.[20]

Quality management

The Egyptian Military Corps of Engineers is responsible for quality assurance and quality control based on national standards.[21]

Other Risk Reduction Measures

There has not yet been a formal mine/ERW RE program in Egypt, and only very limited ad hoc activities have been reported in the last 10 years. In 2009, the Executive Secretariat initiated a program to train 35 persons from the ministries of agriculture, education, health, and social solidarity to conduct RE in the northwest coast area.[22] In 2010, 15,000 students were targeted in coordination with the Ministries of Education and the Environment, the Matrouh governorate, the Egypt State Information Service, and the Hanns Siedle Foundation—an international development agency that has been operating in Egypt since 1978.[23]