On September 13, all of APOPO’s demining teams in Azerbaijan successfully passed the ANAMA (Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action) annual accreditation. This includes APOPO’s Technical Survey Dogs (TSD), Mine Detection Rats (MDR), and, for the first time, MDR handlers who were accredited as manual deminers. APOPO’s MDR handlers are the first foreign demining team to receive such accreditation in Azerbaijan.
This accreditation allows APOPO’s teams to continue their work in regions of Azerbaijan heavily contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). Their operations are focused on clearing land to restore safety and allow communities to return to normal life after years of conflict. APOPO works alongside MAG (Mines Advisory Group), helping to make the land safe for agriculture, infrastructure development, and resettlement.
“I am very proud of the APOPO field staff, who are all experienced handlers and deminers who successfully passed the ANAMA accreditations. Our MDR handlers have worked in Azerbaijan for over a year, supporting our partner’s manual demining teams. They can now be independent in the minefields, investigate the rat indications, and locate the mines without relying on external manual deminers’ support,” explained APOPO’s Azerbaijan Program Manager, Itamar Levy.
APOPO’s Work in Azerbaijan
APOPO’s mission in Azerbaijan is to clear land contaminated by landmines and ERW, particularly in areas that were impacted by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This contamination continues to threaten local communities, limiting access to farmland, water sources, and essential infrastructure. By using a combination of TSDs and MDRs, APOPO accelerates the mine clearance process, making land safe for productive use.
Mine Detection Rats (MDR)
APOPO’s Mine Detection Rats (aka HeroRATs) are trained to detect the scent of explosives in buried landmines. The rats can cover large areas of land quickly. Once a landmine is detected by the rats, it is marked for safe removal by manual deminers. As APOPO’s MDR handlers have now been accredited as manual deminers in Azerbaijan this allows them to actively participate in the physical clearance of mines.
Technical Survey Dogs (TSD)
APOPO’s Technical Survey Dogs are another vital part of its operations. These dogs are trained to sniff out landmines, helping to identify hazardous areas that need clearance. They assist survey teams by covering wide sections of contaminated land and flagging areas where mines are present, expediting the process of returning safe land to communities.
ANAMA Accreditation: Ensuring Safe and Effective Demining
The ANAMA accreditation process ensures that all demining teams in Azerbaijan meet stringent national safety standards for mine clearance. This year’s accreditation confirms that APOPO’s teams are equipped to safely and effectively continue their work in the country. The addition of MDR handlers as accredited deminers marks an important expansion of APOPO’s operational capacity in Azerbaijan.
Supporting the Path Towards a Mine-Free Azerbaijan
APOPO’s demining efforts are supported by key international donors, including the European Commission, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their funding has been essential in enabling APOPO to continue its operations in Azerbaijan, where clearing contaminated land is crucial for rebuilding and restoring local livelihoods.
APOPO’s work, alongside ANAMA and international partners, remains essential in the ongoing efforts to free Azerbaijan from the deadly threat of landmines and ERW, making way for a safer, more prosperous future.
