Working Visit of U.S. Department of State and ITF Representatives to the Mine Action Centre

A representative of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, Ms. Kelly Matanin, together with representatives of Enhancing Human Security (ITF), conducted a working visit to the Mine Action Centre of the Republic of Serbia.

On the first day of the visit, a working meeting was held at the Centre’s premises, followed by a tour of the Innovation and Education Park, attended by a representative of the Embassy of the United States of America in the Republic of Serbia, Political Advisor Ms. Jillian Itharat.

During the meeting, the Centre’s key activities were presented, along with ongoing technical survey projects at the “Đorđevac 2” and “Đorđevac 3” sites in the Municipality of Bujanovac. These projects are being implemented with financial support from the United States and the Republic of Korea through ITF.

On the same day, external expert Ms. Helen Gray delivered a presentation on the Non-Technical Survey (NTS) Project being implemented in the Municipality of Bujanovac.

In addition, Ms. Ana Paiuc, representative of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), presented the IMSMA Core information management system, developed to meet the needs of the Mine Action Centre of the Republic of Serbia, with the aim of enhancing field data management and analysis.

The discussions also addressed future directions of cooperation, as well as the Centre’s priority needs in the upcoming period, with the objective of further strengthening national capacities for addressing areas contaminated with Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) in the Republic of Serbia.

The second day of the visit included a field visit of ongoing technical survey projects in the Municipality of Bujanovac, including meetings with contractors and demining teams, as well as a visit to a Non-Technical Survey (NTS) team.

The Director of the Centre, Mr. Bojan Glamocilija, expressed his appreciation for the continuous support provided by the U.S. Department of State and the people of the United States, through ITF, in addressing ERW contamination on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. This support has significantly contributed to the implementation of the Centre’s activities and enabled safer living conditions for affected communities.