United States
Support for Mine Action
In 2017, the United States (US) contributed more than $309 million to 24 countries.[1] US funding doubled from 2016.
More than half of the US contribution ($169.6 million) went to mine action projects in Iraq and Syria. In comparison, this is $17 million more than its 2016 total contribution of $152.4 million. The US provided $106.6 million to activities in Iraq aimed at clearing Islamic State explosive remnants of war (ERW) in order to facilitate the restoration of critical infrastructure and services, as well as the safe return of displaced populations. This represents a tripling in its contribution to this country compared to the $30.9 million provided in 2016. In addition, the US contributed $63 million to support clearance in areas liberated from Islamic State in northeast Syria, as well as risk education activities. This is six-times higher than US funding provided to this country in 2016.
US support to mine action was distributed among the following regions: the Middle East and North Africa ($197.5 million, 64%), East and South Asia and the Pacific ($69.3 million, 22%), the Americas ($21 million, 7%), Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia ($6.5 million, 2%), and Sub-Saharan Africa ($5.3 million, 2%). A further $9.5 million (3%) designated as global was not earmarked for any state or area or region.
The US allocates the majority of its mine action funding through the State Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (WRA). Additional funding is allocated through the Patrick Leahy War Victims Fund within the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance at US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Contributions by recipient: 2017
Recipient |
Sector |
Amount ($) |
Iraq |
Clearance and risk education |
106,587,000 |
Syria |
Capacity-building, clearance, and risk education |
63,000,000 |
Lao PDR |
Clearance, risk education, victim assistance |
30,000,000 |
Colombia |
Clearance, risk education, victim assistance |
21,000,000 |
Afghanistan |
Clearance and risk education |
18,000,000 |
Libya |
Capacity-building and clearance |
16,000,000 |
Vietnam |
Various |
12,500,000 |
Global |
Various |
9,500,000 |
Yemen |
Clearance |
9,000,000 |
Sri Lanka |
Clearance and risk education |
5,000,000 |
Cambodia |
Clearance and risk education |
3,800,000 |
Angola |
Clearance and risk education |
2,000,000 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Clearance and risk education |
1,750,000 |
Zimbabwe |
Clearance and risk education |
1,500,000 |
Lebanon |
Clearance and risk education |
1,500,000 |
Serbia |
Various |
1,250,000 |
Ukraine |
Various |
1,000,000 |
Palestine |
Clearance |
1,000,000 |
Albania |
Various |
1,000,000 |
Democratic republic of the Congo |
Various |
1,000,000 |
Tajikistan |
Various |
1,000,000 |
Georgia |
Clearance |
500,000 |
Senegal |
Clearance and risk education |
450,000 |
Jordan |
Various |
400,000 |
South Sudan |
Clearance and risk education |
300,000 |
Total |
309,037,000 |
From 2013–2017, the US contribution for mine action totaled approximately $847 million, this represents two-fifths more than the $599.1 million provided in the previous five-year period from 2008–2012.[2]
It is the ninth-consecutive year that the US support has totaled more than $100 million.
Summary of contributions: 2013–2017[3]
Year |
Amount ($) |
% change from previous year |
2017 |
309,037,000 |
+103 |
2016 |
152,375,000 |
-5 |
2015 |
159,335,000 |
+41 |
2014 |
113,143,000 |
0 |
2013 |
113,469,835 |
-16 |
Total |
847,359,835 |
[1] Email from Katherine Baker, Foreign Affairs Officer, Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State, 8 and 24 October 2018.
[2] See, Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, “Country Profile: United States: Support for Mine Action,” 22 November 2013.
[3] See previous Monitor reports. Totals for international support in 2015, 2014, and 2013 have been revised to include contributions that were not previously reported.