Ambassador Hattori attends the Opening Ceremony of the National Mine Action Center (NMAC) Regional Mine Action Training Center

On October 14^th, Ambassador Hattori attended the Opening Ceremony of the NMAC Regional Mine Action Training Center to celebrate the commencement of the provision of various trainings related to mine action. Since 2016, the Japanese Government has provided support for NMAC’s capacity building through United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), which includes training provision for NMAC and NGO staffs and support for the training of Mine Detection Dogs (MDD), all of which contributed to the preparation for the inauguration of the training center.
 
Many guests, including: Maj. General Engineer, Ibrahim Jaber, Member of the Sovereign Council; Lieutenant General Yassin Ibrahim Yassin, Minister of Defense; Ms. Tayseer Al-Nurani Mohamed Al-Tayeb, Minister of Labor and Administrative Reform; Dr. Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sudan and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS); Mr. Sediq Rashid, Chief Mine Action Programme at UNMAS and UNITAMS; Mr. Khalid Hamdan Adam Abdallah, Director of the National Mine Action Center (NMAC), and Ambassadors and Representatives from seven countries attended the ceremony.
 
In his speech, Ambassador Hattori lauded the efforts and coordination between the Government of Sudan, UNMAS, and donor countries regarding mine action, and expressed his gratitude for the various forms of cooperation in tackling the issue while explaining how Japan has provided support to NMAC through UNMAS. In addition, Ambassador Hattori emphasized that a comprehensive effort for mine action, including training provision, is necessary in order to achieve sustainable and durable peace, as “peace consolidation begins with people, and ends with people”. To conclude, he reaffirmed that the Government of Japan will continue to be a partner in all fields to Sudan to ensure that Sudan and its people could take a step forward with confidence
 
Maj. General Engineer, Ibrahim Jaber, Member of the Sovereign Council, congratulated the opening of the training center, reiterated the Government of Sudan’s commitment of realizing a mine-free Sudan in line with its obligations stipulated in the Ottawa Treaty, and expressed his appreciation toward and hopes for more future cooperation with donors, including Japan, and international organizations for achieving this goal.
 
Lieutenant General Yassin Ibrahim Yassin, Minister of Defense, emphasized the Government of Sudan’s continuous commitment toward mine action programs, and expressed his gratitude toward Japan and the international community for supporting Sudan’s mine action programs.
 
Dr. Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sudan and Head of UNITAMS, expressed appreciation toward the Government of Sudan/NMAC and donor countries, and mentioned that “the progress made by the national authorities, including the opening of the training center, is an important contribution toward the peace process as well as finding common grounds for sustainable implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement” and that UNITAMS, through UNMAS, looks forward to strengthening its support.