It will assist the development and strengthening of democratic institutions in developing countries, especially in the Asia Pacific region. The CDI's core business is to design and deliver short, intensive, high-level training programs in support of the democratic process and the strengthening of civil society. I was very pleased to be able to announce the appointment of Mr Roland Rich as the Director of the CDI in June this year. Mr Rich is well known to you through his previous position as Assistant Secretary of the International Organisations Branch in my Department and has had considerable relevant experience in the region. A third initiative of the Government's was to change Australia's position on the global eradication of land mines.
Land mines are evil, pernicious, indiscriminate weapons of war.
Up to 70 million landmines lay scattered across 70 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. Twenty land mines are laid for every mine cleared. Once laid, each land mine is active for up to 50 years. Land mines kill or injure about 41,000 people, including children, every year. Despite these sobering facts, the previous Labor Government could not bring itself to support a ban on the use, transfer, manufacture or stockpiling of anti-personnel land mines.