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| During its initial phase of operation in Eritrea, at the request of the Government of Eritrea (GoE), the UNMEE MACC provided humanitarian mine action support to the GoE in the creation of an indigenous Eritrean mine action capacity. Considerable effort and resources were expended in the development and deployment of the national mine action capacity and to ensure these assets work safely and efficiently alongside the UNMEE assets in the TSZ. The MACC has also been providing support to the coordination of humanitarian mine action in the TSZ and the adjacent areas and technical assistance as required. In July 2002, the GoE suddenly changed its policy on mine action for Eritrea. This resulted in the withdrawal of humanitarian mine action in the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and adjacent areas. |
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| From this experience, the MACC has learned that it is critical that a mine action center under the mandate of a UN peacekeeping mission does not succumb to the authority of the national Government in the absence of an actual, formal agreement between the Government and the UN Peacekeeping Force. By stepping outside its mandate, without an official agreement between the Government and UNMEE, the MACC increasingly lost focus of its originally mandated responsibilities. While the MACC had good intentions to support the national mine action efforts of the Government, it recognizes today that an official agreement is crucial to avoid confusion, misunderstandings and misuse of assets provided by the international mine action aid community in support of the Government’s efforts. |
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