The Development Initiative

Clearing the way for Business and People

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4 Multi Task Teams (MTT) to continue work in South Sudan

For the 2014-2015 demining period TDI will deploy 4 Multi Task Teams with a comprehensive mixed capability to conduct survey and clearance tasks to conduct EOD, BAC and Manual Clearance, along with Community Liaison and Risk Education as per UNOPS/UMAS requirements.

TDI currently has two multi-task contracts in South Sudan, one of which demobilised at the end of June and the other is due to demobilise at the end of July 2014. The second of these two contracts will roll over into this new contract, thereby transitioning straight without delay.

Sudan has been involved in the longest running conflict in Africa and the remaining mines and ERW continue to kill, maim, obstruct humanitarian aid and impede development and reconstruction. In early 2012 hostilities flared up in many places along the border demarcation, which resulted in incursions by both the SPLA and SAF into each other’s territory, including air strikes by the SAF. In addition to this, the region has been unstable over the last 4 months, due to the activities of Anti-Government Forces under the command of the previous Vice President Riek Machar fighting in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity and Lakes States, and thus many towns and roads previously cleared may now again be contaminated with mines and other ERW.Thus the ERW threat in the AO will include a considerable variety of UXO and AXO possibly including AT and AP mines.

“As a result of the conducting of Multi Task Team operations in South Sudan from 2011 through to 2014, as well as several seasons of Multi Task Teams and Mine Action Support Teams in South Sudan during 2010 and 2011, we feel we are well equipped to begin this job with relative ease,” says Ian Anderson, Operations Manager.