United States

Support for Mine Action

Last updated: 19 November 2018

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.