In 1992, the Organization of American States (OAS) created a program to assist Central American countries affected by antipersonnel landmines.
The OAS Mine Action Program, known as AICMA for its initials in Spanish, is a comprehensive, multilateral program to assist the nations of the Americas in mitigating and ultimately eliminating the threat of landmines and other explosive hazards. The program, now known as Comprehensive Action against Antipersonnel Mines (Acción Integral contra Minas Antipersonal -- AICMA, for its initials in Spanis
h) has advanced its eminently humanitarian vision of reestablishing safe, secure, and productive living conditions for mine-affected populations, while supporting national efforts in ten OAS Member States. AICMA works through an integral approach to mine action, including support for building national capacity for humanitarian demining, quality management services, risk education for people living in mine-affected areas, and assistance for survivors of landmine accidents in accessing physical and psychological rehabilitation services and vocational and educational opportunities to support their socio-economic reintegration into their communities. The OAS is the world’s oldest regional organization whose origins date back more than 100 years. Today, the Organization promotes its essential purposes of achieving an order of peace, justice and solidarity among the American nations, strengthening their collaboration, and defending their sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence based on the pillars of democracy, human rights, security, and development.