Last January, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) conducted explosive ordnance disposal and demining operations in Beni, Goma, and Bunia in response to reports of explosive devices made by civilians.
These interventions enabled 2,921 people (825 women, 764 men, 697 girls, 635 boys) to regain safe access to areas previously contaminated—fields, homes, and other living spaces they had abandoned due to the presence of suspicious objects.
In Goma, the clearance of 17,118 square meters of land within the temporary operational base of MONUSCO in Himbi reduced risks for civilian personnel and helped secure a critical site.
Overall, these actions facilitated safer movement for civilians and humanitarian actors.
Informing and educating to protect
UNMAS continues to support MONUSCO’s civilian protection mandate by helping reduce risks related to explosive devices in North Kivu and Ituri.
By combining community engagement, targeted threat-reduction activities, and measures aimed at improving the security of the operational environment, UNMAS has directly contributed to strengthening the protection of populations affected by conflict in these two eastern provinces of the Congo.
In a volatile security context, UNMAS also organized explosive risk education sessions and awareness training on improvised explosive devices in the same region of the country.
In total, 682 people (188 women, 256 men, 112 girls, 126 boys), including community members, United Nations agency staff, and NGO personnel, were trained.
During these sessions, UNMAS staff repeatedly conveyed the same message: caution and vigilance. Information is crucial to prevent tragedies that could result, for example, from a child handling an explosive device.
The awareness sessions provided essential knowledge to recognize and avoid dangers related to explosive devices, thereby promoting safer behavior in high-risk environments. In particular, participants were taught the appropriate actions to take when faced with an unidentified suspicious object.
-Joël Bofengo
