Since 1996, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced successive conflicts of varying intensity, resulting in numerous civilian casualties and significant contamination by explosive remnants of war. Unexploded munitions left behind on former battlefields posed a major threat to local communities and hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FSD\u2019s involvement in the DRC began in November 2003 at the request of UNMAS, with the objective of establishing two emergency demining teams to assist local populations and humanitarian organisations in Bunia. These teams operated under the responsibility of the Mine Action Coordination Centre created by the United Nations in Kinshasa as part of its peacekeeping mission. Around twenty local staff members were recruited and trained by FSD. In 2007, FSD was also mandated to conduct an underwater assessment mission following the suspension of rehabilitation works at the Port of Mbandaka, after explosive ordnance had been discovered along the quay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n