Civil protection training and ammunition disposal in Albania
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NATO has been assisting the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF), in the context of the Alliance's Partnership for Peace programme, with ammunition management and disposal of unexploded munitions since 1997, when the country made a request for assistance following a major internal crisis.
The significant progress that has been made so far, illustrated in the photos below, is the fruit of a series of cooperative initiatives taken by the AAF, with the advice of NATO experts:
- Since October 1998, NATO and Partner country experts have been providing training, technical advice and planning expertise to Albanian nationals, so that they can clear the contaminated sites and "hot spots" themselves. This is known as the "train the trainers" concept;
- In 1999, an Albanian Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Organisation was established, with the assistance of NATO. The creation of this organisation has helped the AAF to achieve self-sufficiency in resolving ammunition-related problems;
- In Spring 2001, a new NATO assistance programme was launched for the disposal of Albania's entire stockpile of 1.6 million anti-personnel mines. The disposal work is being undertaken by NATO-trained local experts. The completion of the project is expected by April 2002.