20 October 2017
The GICHD Arab Regional Cooperation Programme (ARCP) in partnership with the Lebanon Mine Action Center (LMAC) held the Arab Regional Cooperation Programme 6th annual Conference in Beirut, Lebanon from 17 to 19 October 2017. The conference was an opportunity to discuss the ARCP strategy on a regional level, exchange best practices, and best ways of implementation.
LMAC Director, Brigadier General Ziad Nasr, opened the conference alongside GICHD Director of Operations, Guy Rhodes and Regional Cooperation Coordinator, Rana Elias. The 1st secretary of the Swiss Embassy in Beirut, Ms. Elisabeth Gilgen, and the EU representative, Ms. Francesca Varlese, also made opening remarks.
In attendance were Directors of the national mine action authorities, Ambassadors, military attachés and 1st secretaries of Embassies based in Beirut. Several local and international NGOs such as DCA, MAG, NPA, HI, LAMINDA, POD, the Risk Education and Victim Assistance Steering Committees, as well as UNMAS were amongst the attendees.
Special recognition was given to Algeria for completing their obligations to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention at the conference.
This conference was organised by LMAC and supported by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development along with Finland, Switzerland, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union.