Speech by Ms. Christine McNab

UNDFP Resident Representative in Jordan
 

Esteemed colleagues and guests

First, I would like to congratulate the NCDR and all those people who helped draft this first ever National Mine Action Plan for Jordan.

UNDP has long been a core partner in the global fight against landmines.  One of our main interests is to build national sustainable capacity for demining and to mainstream mine action into the development processes of mine-affected countries.  I am happy to say that I think we are accomplishing both here in Jordan. 

UNDP’s view is that in very real terms the presence of landmines is a limiting factor in the attempt to reduce poverty in countries that are unfortunate enough to have landmines or Unexploded Ordnances (UXO) on their territory.  It is well understood that landmines contribute to all kinds of poverty and socio-economic deprivation in affected communities.

I would like to point out that we also need to think of more subtle forms of poverty and deprivation, those associated with the breakdown of social communications because land has become impassable or the increased amount of time that is required to undertake basic tasks, such as going to school or fetching water. Landmines and Unexploded ordnance affect daily life. Certainly, the removal of landmines will contribute to easing the burdens of many forms of ‘poverty’ for some of the poorest communities in Jordan.  For those unfortunate enough to become direct victims of landmines, we also need to continue to support their physical recovery, rehabilitation and their re-entry into social and economic life.

Jordan has long been a leader in the field of mine action.  The Kingdom has dispatched deminers as part of peacekeeping missions to Africa and Central Asia to help post-conflict countries get back on the road to peace and development. 

The National Mine Action Plan finally provides all those interested in assisting Jordan to solve its landmine problem – either as a donor, operator, Government partner, or affected community – the opportunity to work in clear, coordinated, and time-bound manner.

The National Mine Action Plan is a tangible output of our Support for Capacity Development at the NCDR, a project that was launched last year.  I do hope that after a close review and consideration of the Plan that other partners will join UNDP in helping Jordan to strengthen further the national capacity needed to rid the country of one its barriers to greater freedom and growth.  

This brings me to my second point, the time frame for action.

As Prince Mired eloquently explained, according to the Ottawa Treaty, Jordan is to demine its territory by May 2009.  At the UN in New York UNDP has been coordinating what has become termed the “Completion Initiative.” This a group of countries who have manageable mine problems and who it is believed will be able, with sustained and targeted assistance, to meet their 10 year deadline, which in most cases is 2009. Jordan is one of the 6 Completion Initiative countries and I would urge all of us to work together to help Jordan reach its Treaty deadline. 

The fact that Jordan is one of the few Arab countries to be so actively engaged in the Universalization of the Treaty provides even greater impetus for supporting the country in its quest to be mine-free and liberate the much sought after natural resources that have been cut-off for from sustainable use for far too long. 

My final point is that in my role as the UNDP Resident Coordinator, I am tasked with helping to coordinate the UN’s contribution to poverty alleviation in Jordan, and ensuring that Jordan will reach the MDG goals. Reading through the National Mine Action Plan I know that if implemented properly and expeditiously, the task of Jordan in meeting those goals, and my job as UN Resident Coordinator, will have been made easier.

Your Highness, esteemed colleagues, I think that we must seize the opportunity to solve this very solvable problem by working together and supporting the implementation of the Plan. I feel confident that Jordan will make it across the 2009 finishing line.

Thank you.