The humanitarian consequences of mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) are extensive and long lasting. This fact suggests the relevance of having them addressed in negotiations among conflict parties and included in ceasefire and peace agreements. Nevertheless, the link between mine action (also called humanitarian demining) and peace mediation is underexplored in practice and theory as is illustrated by the limited guidance and literature on the matter. This issue brief aims to explore to what extent the two communities of practice could overcome the tendency of working in isolation and benefit from one another. It also shows that mine action can indeed contribute to mediation, especially as an instrument for confidence building and part of broader arms control. Moreover, mediation can strengthen the case of mine action by anchoring the topic in peace agreements.
Category: Peace Mediation