Netherlands
Support for Mine Action
In 2015, the Kingdom of the Netherlands contributed €19.9 million (US$22.1 million)[1] in mine action funding to 12 states and the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action (VTF).
The largest contribution of €7.1 million (some $7.9 million) went to the VTF (unearmarked contribution), with two additional countries—Afghanistan and Iraq—receiving more than €3 million each ($3.3 million).
The Netherlands provided more than €12 million ($18 million) directly to NGOs DanChurchAid (DCA), HALO Trust, Handicap International, and Mines Advisory Group (MAG), with amounts in the chart below indicated by the countries in which their work was to be done.
Contributions by recipient: 2015[2]
|
Recipient |
Sector |
Amount (€) |
Amount ($) |
|
UNMAS |
Various (unearmarked funding) |
7,100,000 |
7,878,160 |
|
Afghanistan |
Various |
3,300,000 |
3,661,680 |
|
Iraq |
Various |
3,100,000 |
3,439,760 |
|
Lebanon |
Clearance |
1,560,000 |
1,730,976 |
|
Lao PDR |
Various |
1,300,000 |
1,442,480 |
|
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Clearance and risk education |
1,280,000 |
1,420,288 |
|
Somaliland |
Clearance and risk education |
840,000 |
932,064 |
|
Mozambique |
Clearance and victim assistance |
350,000 |
388,360 |
|
Palestine |
Clearance |
280,000 |
310,688 |
|
South Sudan |
Victim assistance |
260,000 |
288,496 |
|
Cambodia |
Clearance |
220,000 |
244,112 |
|
Libya |
Risk education |
190,000 |
210,824 |
|
Ukraine |
Clearance |
100,000 |
110,960 |
|
Total |
|
19,880,000 |
22,058,848 |
From 2011–2015, the contribution of the Netherlands totaled more than €91 million ($116.8 million), with an annual contribution averaging €18.2 million ($23.4 million). This compares to the €88.1 million ($120 million) recorded in the previous five-year period from 2006–2010.[3]
Summary of contributions: 2011–2015[4]
|
Year |
Amount (€) |
Amount ($) |
% change from previous year ($) |
|
2015 |
19,880,000 |
22,058,848 |
-15 |
|
2014 |
19,462,911 |
25,879,833 |
11 |
|
2013 |
17,622,565 |
23,404,529 |
-3 |
|
2012 |
18,764,834 |
24,129,700 |
13 |
|
2011 |
15,286,403 |
21,295,488 |
-7 |
|
Total |
91,016,713 |
116,768,398 |
|
The Netherlands announced it would provide €45 million ($49.7 million) from 2016–2020 to support mine action projects run by DCA, HALO Trust, and MAG in 13 countries and territories.[5] Approximately one-fifth of this amount (€10 million/$11 million) will be earmarked for emergency response projects.[6] Since 2012, the Netherlands has been a strong advocate for a multiyear funding approach to mine action and cites the improvement of administrative efficiencies, the building of strategic partnerships, and the commitment to building national capacities as benefits in multiyear funding.[7]
[1] Average exchange rate for 2015: €1=US$1.1096. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 4 January 2016.
[2] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, April 2016.
[3] See Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, “Country Profile: the Netherlands: Support for Mine Action,” 29 July 2011.
[4] See previous Monitor reports.
[5] Government of the Netherlands, “Netherlands wants to eradicate landmines within 10 years,” 20 July 2016. Average exchange rate for July 2016: €1=US$1.1055. US Federal Reserve, “Foreign Exchange Rates (monthly),” 1 September 2016. The 13 countries and territories are: Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine.
[6] Government of the Netherlands, “Policy Framework Mine Action and Cluster Munitions 2016-2020,” 22 March 2016, p. 6.
[7] Government of the Netherlands, “How to Get More Value for Money in Humanitarian Mine Action? Benefits of Multi-year Funding: Different Perspectives, Common Interests,” paper presented at side event by the Netherlands at the Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee Meetings in Geneva, 27–31 May 2013.