A mine-free Albania

TIRANA, Feb. 22 – More than a decade after the 1999 Kosovo conflict left behind a trail of mines and unexploded ordinances along Albania’s northern border, the country has been declared officially mine-free thanks to a joint UNDP and Government de-mining programme that also provides assistance to mine victims.
As a result of the programme, over 16 million square meters of land in northeastern Albania were cleared of mines and unexploded ordinances, which are weapons like bombs and bullets that did not explode when they were initially used and still pose a threat to anyone who might stumble onto them. Altogether, the programme led to the clearance of over 12,000 anti-personnel and 152 anti-tank mines while almost 5,000 unexploded ordnances were found and destroyed.
Along with providing financial, technical and policy advisory support to government institutions charged with clearing the mines, UNDP also embarked on a mine risk education project in affected communities, resulting in the end of mine accidents within several years of the programme’s start.
To provide effective and ongoing support to the 238 people who were injured by the mines, UNDP established the National Prosthetic-Orthotic Center in a regional hospital in northern Albania, staffed with two medical specialists, a physiotherapist, a neurologist and a prostheses repair technician. An additional 30 nurses from the affected communities were also trained with the skills required to support the rehabilitation needs of mine survivors.
Many survivors have benefited from UNDP-supported vocational training for mine survivors and their family members. Over 80 families have established animal husbandry businesses after receiving technical assistance and micro loans whole another 95 have completed vocational training courses