Hugh Morris, Managing Director at TDI (The Development Initiative), pictured, covers security and risks to consider when working in post-conflict areas.
The successful execution of any project depends on the ability to identify the risks to delivery and the plan to mitigate them both at the outset and during implementation. However, when it comes to businesses entering and working in post-conflict environments, the risks to delivery are likely to be even more diverse, acute and difficult.
Today, there are over 100 million laid and active landmines globally – not to mention millions of tonnes of other unexploded ordnance (UXO), such as rockets and mortars, as well as the ever increasing threat of IEDs, both from recent and historical conflict. Many of these mines and other explosive remnants of war are located in countries emerging from recent conflict that are now going through a transition into peacefulness and development, which means opportunities for business.
Given the threat posed by this persistent scourge of war, it is essential for companies to try and mitigate the risks and security threats before entering post-conflict environments. Following my twenty one years of experience undertaking mine action programmes and dealing with such risks, here are my key tips on how to achieve this.
Gather information
Firstly, gather as much information as possible. Knowing who to contact and the kind of questions to ask is essential for preparation and mitigation of the threats of ERW. Contacting the local National Mine Action Centre (NMAC) in the theatre can help to understand the kind and size of threat you may be facing. The police and army often have similar information, or contacting NGOs or mine action companies who have been working in the area can also shed more light.
Identified UXO threat
If there is a definite threat of potential contamination in your working area, you may want to seek specialist advice and bring in their support to conduct a non-technical survey of the area. This entails a physical assessment of the likelihood of a threat being present through discussion with local inhabitants and authorities. If a threat is suspected these teams will transition into Technical Survey which requires deploying a clearance capacity into the suspected hazardous area to confirm or discredit the presence of mines or ERW.
Risk education
Information about threats gathered from local communities contribute significantly to one of the most important hazard mitigation tools for people likely to go into the area and that is Risk Education (RE). Conveying this information to employees, clients or contractors as to the potential menaces they may encounter and educating them about suspicious items will significantly reduce the chance of an incident – it is an ongoing tool that should be used all the time. Guidance on what to do should one encounter ERW, is an incredibly important process in the risk matrix ensuring people remain safe and aware of their surroundings at all times.
Considerations
If going into an area where you have information that a threat is likely or even vaguely likely to present itself, preparation is everything. For example, planning to have a dedicated safety vehicle in your arsenal with qualified medics on board can mean the difference between life and death.
Logistical shortcomings will also undoubtedly negatively impact a project that is not thoroughly planned in advance. Often in post-conflict environments, there are complex webs of bureaucracy that surround importation of equipment and issuing of visas, together with the significant distances along difficult lines of communication and these must not be underestimated.
The security of the project staff and equipment is also key to success, particularly given the potential volatility of post-conflict situations. For locations where the security situation is fluid, it is best to ensure, as far as possible, that all personnel are housed within a secure compound or base with access to emergency services.
As a final note on maintaining security in a post-conflict environment, in my experience ignorance of local culture together with any wilful and even perceived arrogance by international staff can result in a negative attitude within the community which may result in project failure.
All these precautions mentioned of course do not completely remove nor negate the risks likely to be experienced in post-conflict environments. Where there was once hostility and violence, it is unlikely to turn to peace and prosperity overnight. However, this should not prevent companies from contributing to the development of these nations, it should just help them be more prepared.
About TDI
TDI was established in 2005 to provide services such as mine clearance from roads for multinational companies, governmental and non-governmental organisations. To date, TDI has undertaken over 50 projects in Angola, DRC, Mali, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Togo, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently Côte d’Ivoire. It’s removed over 46,000 items of unexploded ordnance and safely destroyed over 290 tonnes of unserviceable and obsolete munitions.
