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OAS Receives Vehicles Donated by Japan to Support Humanitarian De-Mining Efforts in Colombia

  March 19, 2013

The Organization of American States (OAS) today received from the Japanese government a donation of two vehicles to support the humanitarian de-mining program of the hemispheric organization in Colombia.

The two Toyota Hilux 4X4 vehicles were delivered by the Japanese Embassy in Bogota during a ceremony held at the premises of the School of Military Engineers of Colombia, attended by the Ambassador of Japan, Kazuo Watanabe; the Director of Program of the Presidency of Colombia for Comprehensive Action against Antipersonnel Mines in Colombia (PAICMA), Daniel Ávila; the Inspector General of the Colombian Armed Forces, Admiral Jairo Peña; and the General Coordinator of the OAS program for Comprehensive Action against Antipersonnel Mines (AICMA-OAS), Carl Case.

The vehicles, valued at some $90,000, will go to the Departments of Antioquia and Bolivar, with the aim of supporting the External Monitoring Component of the program in areas where humanitarian de-mining operations are carried out.

Among its priority activities, the OAS program performs quality assurance and control operations for organizations that carry out humanitarian de-mining organizations in Colombia (Demining Battalion No. 60 of the Armed Forces and civilian organizations such as HALO Trust) in the villages of the departments of Antioquia and Bolivar.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-102/13