More Australian Funding for Land Mine Action in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 11:34 GMT]
Australia and UNDP signed an agreement 10 March 2004, which allocates AUD 1 million (LKR 75 million) towards the UNDP Mine Action Project in Sri Lanka. The Australian aid will assist capacity building, technical support and operational coordination, according to UNDP officials in Colombo.

The Australian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, HE David Binns and UNDP Resident Representative Miguel Bermeo signed the agreement.

It will be utilised for the UNDP Support to Mine Action in Sri Lanka Project, signed with the Government on 28 August 2003, as well by the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) – a clearance agency operational in the Mannar and Vavuniya Districts.

UNDP mine action services include information management, technical assistance to develop Sri Lanka National Mine Action Standards (SLNMAS),Quality Assurance (QA), training of local counterparts, and other elements required for effective and sustained mine action operations.

Australian government funding has previously been provided to UNICEF for mine risk education programs, and to the UNDP Mine Action Project.