A Scoping Review of the Literature on Landmines in Egypt and their Resultant Disaster Impact

Abstract

Introduction:

A scoping review of the literature available on landmines in Egypt and their resultant disaster impact (human losses, material losses, economic losses and environmental losses) on the Bedouin communities inhabiting contaminated regions and on Egypt is presented. A narrative approach is taken to map the data extracted from the available literature to: the domains of losses; evidence of external assistance; and progress, revealing the widespread impacts of the hazard of landmine contamination.

Method:

The review question was mapped based on the JBI and the Arksey and O’Malley Frameworks with reference to Aromataris and Munn (2020), and Peters (2022). The research question was identified starting with the search strategy, and is broken down using PCC as recommended for Scoping Reviews (Peters, 2022).

Searches of scientific literature were conducted using multiple databases, further searches of search engines, social media and of grey literature were conducted. The search results were then screened over two stages to determine their relevance. Data was then extracted using the PRISMA-ScR checklist before being tabulated and charted.

Results:

The data collated evidently shows human losses manifest as mortality, physical disability, psychological trauma, financial instability and social impacts; while material losses include blocks to considerable areas of the country’s landmass suitable for urban housing, agricultural and touristic potential, as well as mineral, and oil and gas reserves; economic losses include impedance to development, lost revenues and deterrence from investment; environmental losses comprise extensive contamination of Egypt’s land.

Conclusion:

Evidence of external assistance being sought and provided is ample, signifying the overwhelm of Egypt’s coping capacity; rather, positive steps to de-mine the land and provide mine risk education and survivor assistance are beneficial in risk reduction. While landmine contamination is not classically considered to carry a disaster risk, this study proposes it does.