Afghanistan
Data collection completed in November. Only 5 of 329 districts were not surveyed due to security concerns. Database to be verified in December and data analysis and drafting of final report to take place in January.

Angola
Executive Director Bob Eaton and Director for Survey Mike Kendellen visited Luanda 13-17 November for the LIS operational review with the six NGO survey implementers. Under the new timeline data collection is scheduled for completion in August 2005.

Eritrea
The final report has been submitted to the graphic designer to be prepared for publication.

Ethiopia
Ethiopian Mine Action Office (EMAO) reviewing final report.

Somalia (Phase 2: Bari, Nugaal and Mudug Regions)
The SAC team re-located from Puntland to Nairobi on 9 November in response to security conditions in Garowe. During this period the LIS was temporarily halted. The team was later cleared to return to Garowe on 29 November to resume the survey and begin recruiting senior staff.

Survey Working Group
The SWG met in Sarajevo on 11 November 2004. A prototype of a web-based application, LIS Explorer, that offers the mine action community interactive access to LIS data was introduced and well received. Protocol 6 on visual verification was approved. Click here to view the meeting minutes.

Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World (29Nov-3Dec)
Ulrich Tietze, SAC Survey Coordinator in Angola, was part of an NGO panel discussing the link between development and mine action using SAC/Development Workshop assessment in Huambo province (Click here to view the presentation. NOTE: 5.7MB PDF file). Bethany Champagne, a SAC intern from Canada’s Youth Mine Action Ambassador Program (www.dangermines.ca), developed materials for the ICBL’s Mine Action Working Group exhibit, participated in the Non-State Actors Working Group workshop, and attended many of the sessions and follow-up meetings.

International Trust Fund Advisor Board
Executive Director Bob Eaton attended the advisory board meeting held in Slovenia early November.

UN CTA Annual Workshop
Bob Eaton participated in a panel discussion in Sarajevo in early November.