Summary meeting of the year held
in the direction of Mine Action

The meeting  jointly organized by the representatives of ICRC functioning in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan Red Crescent  about the conclusion of the activities implemented by International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement in the direction of mine action in Azerbaijan was held traditionally in “ Aqua Park” relax center situating in Novchani settlement in Baku city on November 11-12 in 2008.
The aims of the meeting were the discussions on the  project of “SPA” constructed for children by Azerbaijan Red Crescent in 7 villages with high mine risks , situating close to the  front line from Gazakh, Agstafa, Agdam, Fizuli  Gadabay with the financial support of International Olympic Committee and technical support of ICRC  , holding appreciation of the  project  of “SPA“ constructed in 42 such villages of Republic during 2005-2008 in communities, the level of the activity on gathering information about mine victims according to Agreement  Memorandum signed on December in 2007 between Red Crescent and ANAMA  for mines and meetings about mine activities of Red Cross And ICRC in following years.
As an expert, Bayram Valiyev- coordinator of the program on Mine Action of AzRC, Herbi Elmasi-advisor of ICRC on Mine Action in region, Rasim Allazov –cooperation coordinator of ICRC with National Society, official representative of ANAMA on assistance issues to mine victims and official representative of the Awareness department on mines participated in this meeting. The participants were Fizuli, Gadabay, Terter, Agdam district branches chairmen involved in Mine action.
Bayram Valiyev indicated that, the project of “SPA” constructed in 7 villages in the frame of reducing mine victims strategy in 2008 is satisfactory. He stated that, “SPA” had been constructed with a high quality and it will avoid the children to play in the places with high mine risks. Moreover the heat discussions on protecting “SPA“ constructed in 42 communities by municipality chairmen. It was indicated by the program coordinator that, the monitoring was held by him in the most villages where the “SPA” were constructed on October in 2008. We can say that ”SPA” s in many villages have been out of the order. Discussions should be held with officials in order to avoid such negative cases and they must be removed. The inquiring consisting of special questions which will be addressed to community member (village head staff, teachers and children) for appreciating the importance of “SPA” project in communities were introduced to chairmen of district branches of National Society by Bayram Valiyev- representative of Red Crescent, Rasim Allazov and Herbi Elmazi--representatives of ICRC. These inquiring should be filled and gathered till the end of 2008 and compiling the report on efficiency of “SPA” have been planned. This report can be very important for Azerbaijan Red Crescent, ICRC, donors of the project, district head staff and other institutions.
Generally, at the result of the efforts of Red Crescent and ICRC, “SPA” constructed in 42 villages with high mine risks for community specially for children justified himself and it can be considered that it have reached to its aim.
Representative of ANAMA appreciated partnership between ANAMA and Red Crescent on gathering information about mine victims and work done in this sphere during 2008. He stated that, irrespective of some little wrongs in IMSMA blanks filled by Red Crescent in 2008 can be considered normally filled. He gave an explanation to participants on filling information rightly about mine victims through the presentation again.
Generally, agreement memorandum on gathering information about mine victims between ANAMA and Red Crescent was taken into the consideration to be signed in 2008.
Another representative of ANAMA gave wide information about the activities in the frame of aim strategy of ANAMA to mine victims and especially about the project of giving micro credits with the social support aim for them.
We should remark that, Red Crescent is planning to change its reducing mine risks strategy for the strategy of assistance to mine victims. Now Azerbaijan Red Crescent and ICRC are discussing how it will be and on which activities and projects it will be realized.
During the meeting, Herbi Elmasi –official representative of ICRC recommended to Red Crescent to cover one district as a pilot, while beginning its activity on assistance to mine victims. He stated that, while beginning the activity in this direction, meeting with mine victims in any community which will be selected and holding appreciation are too important. Just after it, we can speak about planning and preparing any project in this direction. The expert of ICRC stated that, International conference on Mine Action will be held in Cambodia in 2009. The participation of Bayram Valiyev –coordinator of Red Crescent on Mine Action program has been planned in this conference. Activities which will be planned in the frame of aim strategy to mines victims can be widely discussed in this conference.