International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2026; April 4th.

FORUM: “Invest in peace, Invest in mine action” International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2026. Mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices continue to cause death and injury, especially in situations of armed conflict. On average, one person is killed or injured by such explosive device every hour. Many children are among the victims. The use of improvised explosive devices has expanded, terrorizing civilians and threatening humanitarian actors and United Nations missions and personnel. In 2026, the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action will be commemorated under the theme "Invest in Peace; Invest in Mine Action." This theme draws out the foundational importance of lands being cleared from explosive threats and communities living in the absence of fear from these indiscriminate weapons for peace to be able to prosper. Mine action saves lives, provides security, restores dignity, unlocks land for productive use, and creates the conditions for long-term stability. It transforms hazardous land into safe, productive spaces. It enables humanitarian access, facilitates development, supports stabilization efforts, and lays the groundwork for durable peace. Investing in mine action is therefore not only a technical necessity - it is a strategic investment in peacebuilding, recovery, and sustainable development.Follow the conversation with the hashtags:#InvestInMineAction; #IMAD2026, #safefuturesstarthere, #MineAwareness; #landmines; #4april; #Mineaction.

EVENTS:  On April 1st, 2026, from 17.45 - 19.30 ET, organized by the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations, at the United Nations Headquarters; a Film Festival will be held at the 1 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 35th Floor - 885 2nd Avenue, between 47th and 48th Street New York, NY 10017 *This event is by invitation.

OPT | Watch Here

South Sudan (1) | Watch Here

South Sudan (2) | Watch Here

Sudan | Watch Here

Syria |

Watch Here

Ukraine | Watch Here

View event pictures here

WORLDWIDE CELEBRATIONS: Several Events had been organized at UNHQ and around the world to highlight the progress and challenges in mine action and to mark the International Day for Mine Awareneness and Assistance in Mine Action 2026. Demining and Mine Action is not only about removing explosives from the ground. It’s about: Restoring safety; enabling opportunities; Protecting communities; Rebuilding trust and the foundations of lasting peace It's time to Invest In Mine Action. Register to participate!

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - 3 April 2026, from (08:30 – 12:00): Official inauguration of the ANMAA premises and Open Day, to mark its operationalization. 2 April 2026, from (10:00 – 12:00): Workshop/panel discussion focused on Victim Assistance, bringing together national authorities, partners, and civil society actors. Media engagement: Radio broadcasts and awareness-raising programmes will be conducted on national stations. Visibility and communication campaign:Recording and dissemination of radio spots during the week of 23 March 2026 Public billboards/display panels across Bangui from 30 March to 27 April 2026

COLOMBIA, On 4 April Start of  the MAC's digital campaign.

8 April -  Panel discussion and photo exhibition (pillars of Mine Action) for National Day of Remembrance and Solidarity with the Victims of the Armed Conflict. Initiative of two NGOs of the Mine Action sector.
10 April - Event and exhibition regarding 4 April, co-organized by the national mine action sector and UNMAS.
Commemorative Gathering: Memory and Action Against Anti-Personnel Mines, a solemn space for reflection, recognition, and awareness about the humanitarian impact of these devices in Colombia.
15 April -  Launch of our technical paper on weaponized drones, event at UN House.
Launch date tbd
Relaunch of UNMAS-led radio and social media campaign on humanitarian access to promote humanitarian access and respect for the work of mine action organizations in Colombia.

IRAQ - 1- Photo exhibition in collaboration with the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA) in Erbil. 2- Publishing the UNMAS Iraq Annual Report. 3- "Thank you" social media campaign to our donors.

SOMALIA  - Interactive Mine Awareness Event inside UNSOS Camp (5 April): Since 4 April falls on a Saturday, we will host an interactive showcase at the UNSOS camp on Sunday, 5 April (10:00 am – 3:00 pm). Supported by a mission-wide broadcast, our teams will demonstrate mine action tools and share expertise on our mandate. Watch how explosive detection dogs work silently and precisely, saving lives everyday in Somalia.

SOUTH SUDAN - On Thursday, 2 April 2026  from 09:00 to 12:00 at the  Pyramid Hotel, Juba, join the commemoration of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.

EXHIBIT: Explore the Digital exhibition entitled'' Signs of Safety''.

Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on the  International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2026; April 4th.

Landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices exact a devastating toll on civilians, especially children. As conflicts multiply and military spending skyrockets, these dangers are deepening.

These weapons do not disappear when the fighting is over. They lurk in fields in Colombia, Ethiopia, Lebanon and Myanmar; amid the rubble in Gaza; and in communities across Syria. They kill thousands each year and injure a great many more – often long after conflict ends.

Mine action plays a critical role in places where peace is fragile, the humanitarian response urgent, and development precarious. It allows the UN and its partners to work in greater safety and enables ravaged communities to recover and rebuild.

On this International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, I call on all Member States to join and adhere to the relevant instruments – including the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention – and urge those that have withdrawn to rejoin. Failing to preserve these vital instruments will only weaken civilian protections and add to the 100 million innocent lives already in peril.

This year’s theme – “Invest in peace, Invest in mine action” – highlights the need to accelerate mine clearance, enhance risk education, expand victim assistance, reduce weapons stockpiles and advocate for a mine-free world.

We must eradicate the threat posed by these weapons – so all people everywhere can live in safety and with hope.

United Nations Secretary-general.

PRESS CONFERENCES: With the UNMAS representatives on International Mine Awareness Day 2026 and UNMAS work going on in Ukraine and Afghanistan and beyond.

00:35:43

Press Conference by Kazumi Ogawa, Director of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Paul Heslop, UNMAS Special Adviser to the Resident Coordinator and United Nations Country Team in Ukraine (both in-person) and Nick Pond, Chief of Mine Action Section for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) (virtual from Kabul), on the International Mine Awareness Day 2026 and the work going on in Ukraine and Afghanistan and beyond.

 

Ethiopia & Sudan: Mine Action - Press Conference at the United Nations Headquarters - A UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) spokesperson said, “There are many crises in the world today that are taking up attention and resources, but neglecting countries on the path to peace will result in them sliding back to war.” Rob Syfret, Chief of the UN Mine Action Programme in Ethiopia, and Mohammad Sediq Rashid (joining virtually from Khartoum), Chief of the UN Mine Action Programme in Sudan, addressed the press in New York. Syfret said, “Ethiopia at the moment, risks becoming the forgotten post conflict. There are many crises in the world today that are taking up attention and resources, but neglecting countries on the path to peace will result in them sliding back to war.” He continued, “The fighting left areas of the country littered with explosive remnants of war that continue to kill and maim civilians four years after the Pretoria agreement ended the conflict. The resources that required to solve the problem are ebbing away and being directed to more high-profile current events as the crisis caravan moves on to follow the headlines.” He stressed, “Ethiopia is the largest country in the Horn of Africa, and if it falls into conflict again there will be a vast region of instability stretching from the Red Sea to the borders of Egypt, Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Kenya. Some resources need to be focused on trying to prevent this. And what better way than by removing and destroying explosive remnants of war so they cannot be converted into IEDs, so they cannot be repaired and put back into service as weapons of war?” He added, “Humanitarian mine action has proved that there is the capability to solve this problem if the funds to employ people to do the work are available. In areas contaminated with explosive ordnance, it is foundational to almost every single one of the Sustainable Development Goals to clear it. Yet, time and again, it becomes the forgotten problem, a specialist issue that is easier to ignore than to understand.” He concluded, “My counterparts in the Ethiopian mine action office are doing a fine job but continue to need our support.” Mohammad Sediq Rashid, Chief of the UN Mine Action Programme in Sudan, said that the scale and nature of contamination in the country is alarming, “because this war is fought in the cities.” He added, “As families begin to return, they are doing so into a highly dangerous environment, often without awareness of the risks.” He also said, “The conflict is ongoing, and in many areas, intensifying. The continued use of heavy weapons, including unmanned aerial systems. This means contamination is increasing day by day.” He said, “We estimate that around 14 million people are at risk from explosive hazards. This includes civilians, returnees and humanitarian workers.” He concluded, “Sudan was already dealing with legacy contamination from decades of conflict. The current war is adding a new and complex layer of contamination across densely populated areas. On our response, the mine action program has been severely impacted by the conflict, including the loss of critical equipment. It had one stage last year, the program faced the risk of shutting down due to funding constraints, while the response is now gradually regaining momentum, it remains far below what is required.” Established in 1997, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) leads, coordinates, and implements projects and programmes to mitigate the threat posed by explosive ordnance. In recent years, UNMAS has supported and continues to provide assistance in Abyei, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Colombia, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, the State of Palestine, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, the Territory of Western Sahara and Yemen.

Mines and explosive devices kill or injure a person every hour. Many of them are children. I urge States to accede to or rejoin the Ottawa Treaty and invest in Mine Action to protect communities, support survivors, and rebuild lives. Mr.Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

COMMUNICATION MATERIALS:  Get the poster and the IMAD 2026 Digital Assets.

International Day for Mine awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2025; April 4th.

FORUM: ”Safe Futures Start Here” International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2025. Mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices continue to cause death and injury, especially in situations of armed conflict. On average, one person is killed or injured by such explosive device every hour. Many children are among the victims. The use of improvised explosive devices has expanded, terrorizing civilians and threatening humanitarian actors and United Nations missions and personnel. The United Nations mine action community will commemorate the annual International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action under the theme “Safe Futures Start Here”. The UN mine action community will bring attention to the progress made over the last year and the challenges that remain in countries around the world. Building on the Pact of the Future, considering the condemnation of the devastating impact of armed conflict on all persons including persons with disabilities (Action 14) and seizing “on opportunities provided by new and emerging technologies to empower and advance equity for persons with disabilities, including through promoting the availability of assistive technologies” (Action 29), events and campaigns will focus on raising awareness about the needs of people around the world. The United Nations is calling for a greater responsiveness to the needs and rights of all people with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding settings. The 2025 campaign will also bring attention to the anniversary of Security Council resolution 2475, which calls upon Member States, and specifically Security Council members, to consider and protect persons with disabilities; to ensure they have access to assistance, and to include them in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #IMAD2025, #safefuturesstarthere, #MineAwareness; #landmines; #4april; #Mineaction.

EVENTS: On April 3rd, 2025; The Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions, Mr. Alexandre Zouev, and two other UN officials will be guests at the Noon Briefing of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General. Watch the press briefing!

On April 4th; To commemorate the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2025; The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations will hold a roundtable discussion entitled “Saving Lives through Humanitarian Mine Action in Azerbaijan”. The briefing will be held in cooperation with the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center). Details to follow.

Events Around the World:

Abyei - On 4 April in Abyei, UNISFA set up an interactive exhibition area about the “Prize Survey” and invited the staff to the “Show and Tell” event. They will be presenting a skit on explosive ordnance risk education to raise awareness about the dangers of explosive ordnance. Additionally, there will be live music and an award ceremony to recognize the most meaningful answers to the “Prize Survey”.

Afghanistan - The IMAD commemorations in Afghanistan will be led by the Directorate for Mine Action Coordination (DMAC) and the mine action implementing partners on 4 April in Kabul. UNMAS Afghanistan and other key stakeholders will participate in the event. On the day around 100 deminers along with their technical equipment including (metal detectors, visors, and armor jackets) will be displayed/ paraded. There will also be an exhibition area for demining equipment, risk education and victim assistance. See how Sharafuddin, Team Leader at Halo Trust is working to demine Afghanistan for a safer tomorrow.

Colombia - On 3 April, UNMAS Colombia a panel discussion will be held from, 10am - 12pm at the Auditorio Marino Troncoso, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá; Join us for a conversation on 'Humanitarian Demining and Territorial Transformation: Contributing to the Construction of Peace from the Territories' organised by the High Commissioner for Peace. Get the flyer (in Spanish) and Register for the event.

Somalia; On April 6th, 2025, from 10am to 12pm at theTukul, UN Compound, Mogadishu. We invite you to join us in this important commemoration with remarks from key UN and Somali officials and presentations on the ongoing efforts to strengthen Somali-led mine action capabilities. You will have an opportunity to meet our wonderful explosive detection dogs and watch them go through their paces, as well as to familiarize yourself with the equipment and engage with technical experts to discuss all aspects of mine action in Somalia. Personnel from SNA and SPF will be present to participate in the interactive session for the EDD response Demo.
Ethiopia - On 4 April, the United Nations in Ethiopia would like to stress the need for enhancing support to victims affected by Explosive Ordnance with a commemorative event in Addis Ababa, bringing together the United Nations, donors and members of the Mine Action community. Keynote speaker will be the director of the Ethiopian Mine Action Office, with further contributions by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, the UNICEF Ethiopia Head and a representative of a local NGO involved in Mine Action in the country.

Democratic Republic of the Congo - On 4 April, UNMAS RDC partner with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Congolese Mine Action Coordination Center (CCLAM) to organize an event in Kinshasa, in recognition of mine action day. The event brought together important people and organizations, including donors, embassies, national authorities, and others to raise awareness about the dangers of landmines and explosive remnants of war.

South Sudan - On 4 April, from 09:00 to 11:30 CAT, UNMAS South Sudan will lead a commemoration with a focus on youth. Highlights will also include speeches by Honourable Angelina Teny, Minister of Interior Affairs; UNMISS, National Mine Action Authorities (NMMA), and mine action partners; as well as the launch of the National Mine Action Authority Law.

Syria - The ​​UNMAS team in Syria invited heads of agencies in Syria for a field visit to Yarmouk on Thursday 14th March (Yarmouk is a Palestinian refugee camp and was heavily affected by the crisis). The joint visit by UNMAS ,UNRWA and Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) survey and clearance teams took place then.The event has been arranged to mark Mine Action Day. In cooperation with agencies including UNHCR, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNRWA, WHO, OSE, and OCHA, a series of joint media posts will be published to mark the day and raise awareness of affected populations. Furthermore, a joint initiative with UNICEF was organized to promote mine awareness through painting activity in two schools located in Rural Damascus. There was also an SMS awareness campaign to all mobile phone subscribers in the country, and a Facebook campaign to ensure the messages and visual contents reach beneficiaries. Additionally, official ceremony will be held on 16 April, an open-door afternoon at the UNMAS office in Damascus allowing visitors to learn about the organization’s demining operations in the country.

EXHIBITS: In the Washington D.C., United States, on April 7th 2025, from 6pm - 8pm at the Rayburn House Office Building; an Exhibition and Reception will be held to mark the day. You are cordially invited to join the bipartisan Congressional Unexploded Ordnance/Demining Caucus for an exhibition and reception to celebrate International Mine Awareness Day, and to acknowledge the United States' historical commitment to Conventional Weapons Destruction. Join us for an evening with refreshments, interactive exhibits from leading demining organizations, cutting edge technology from the Department of Defense (including Spot the robot dog), and demonstrations from live demining dogs and rats. Hear from Members of Congress (including Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Chrissy Houlahan and David Valadao, and HFAC Chairman Brian Mast), Administration representatives, and Ambassadors about the modern field of humanitarian demining and how the United States is saving lives and strengthening security around the world. Get the flyer and Register to participate!

ACTIVITIES: Over the next week we will bring you more stories from the occupied Palestinian territories, Rwanda, Syria, Ukraine and elsewhere. “Leave no one behind”, the goal of the 2030 Agenda, and as disability rights activists have stated for decades, “Nothing about us, without us”.

STATEMENTS: Read the statement from the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’ on the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2025; April 4th.