United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS)

Topic: Boosting Mine Action in Support of Civilian Protection

Working Language: English

Delegation: Double Delegation

Rules of Procedure: Beijing Rules of Procedure (Motion-Oriented)

Established in 1997, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) is a specialized organization located with the Department of Peace Operations. It works to eliminate the threats posed by landmines, explosive remnants of war (ERW), and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). UNMAS is mandated to coordinate the mine action work of the United Nations system as Chair of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action (IACG-MA) and its subsidiary groups, a responsibility established by the General Assembly (A/RES/72/75) and confirmed by the Security Council in SCR 2365 (2017). Mine Action lies at the core of our discussion, as it not only leads country-level operational responses and supports peace operations, but also plays a central role in coordinating mine action across the United Nations system. Protecting civilians and facilitating humanitarian access constitute key objectives of Mine Action. Particularly, these efforts extend beyond active conflict zones, as post-conflict reconstruction continues to be threatened by concealed landmines and unexploded ordnance.

In 2025, plans by several UN Member States to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention alerted the international community to the persistence of protracted conflicts worldwide, reinforcing the need for strong international norms to protect civilians and advance the vision of a mine-free world.