Syria

Support for Mine Action

Last updated: 16 November 2020

In 2019, 17 donors reported contributing a total of US$42.5 million to mine action activities in the Syrian Arab Republic; $24.2 million less than in 2018 when international funding totaled $66.7 million.[1] Syria was the fifth largest recipient of international support to mine action in 2019.

The European Union provided the largest contribution with $16 million, to support mine action activities. This represented 38% of the total international mine action assistance in Syria for 2019. In addition, Australia, Germany, and Norway also provided substantial assistance to mine action activities in Syria and contributed a combined total of almost $11.4 million.

International contributions: 2019[2]

Donor

Sector

Amount

(national currency)

Amount

(US$)

European Union

Various

€14,300,000

16,007,420

Australia

Risk education and victim assistance

A$5,800,000

4,032,160

Germany

Clearance, risk education, and victim assistance

€3,530,140

3,951,639

Norway

Clearance and risk education

NOK30,000,000

3,409,052

New Zealand

Victim assistance

NZ$4,500,000

2,965,950

Japan

Clearance, risk education, and victim assistance

¥310,385,827

2,847,054

Austria

Clearance and risk education

€1,778,614

1,990,980

Denmark

Clearance and risk education

DKK10,291,000

1,542,809

Switzerland

Risk education

CHF1,355,000

1,363,591

Russia

Clearance, risk education, and victim assistance

N/R

1,000,000

Finland

Clearance, risk education, and victim assistance

€720,000

805,968

France

Capacity-building and clearance

€614,000

687,312

Italy

Clearance, risk education, and victim assistance

€550,000

615,670

Canada

Clearance and risk education

C$718,309

541,344

Slovenia

Risk education

€295,546

330,834

Netherlands

Risk education and victim assistance

€202,450

226,623

Sweden

Clearance and risk education

SEK2,000,000

211,408

Total

 

N/A

42,529,814

Note: N/A=not applicable; N/R=not reported.

International contributions to mine action in Syria fluctuated from $11.3 million in 2015 to more than $92 million in 2017, totaling approximately $232 million in the five-year period from 2015–2019 (more than two-fifths of which was provided in 2017).

Summary of international contributions: 2015–2019[3]

Year

International contributions

(US$)

2019

42,529,814

2018

66,679,122

2017

92,913,777

2016

18,610,221

2015

11,284,558

Total

232,017,492

 


[1] Australia Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 3 January 2020; ITF Enhancing Human Security, “Annual Report 2019,” March 2020, p. 17; Canada Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 11 June 2020; response to Monitor questionnaire by Natascha Hassan Johns, Head of Section, Denmark Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence, 26 June 2020; email from Frank Meeussen, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Export Control, European External Action Service, 30 August 2020; response to Monitor questionnaire by Anni Mäkeläinen, Desk Officer, Unit for Arms Control, Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 13 July 2020; emails from Yves Marek, Ambassador, Secretary General, National Commission for the Elimination of Anti-Personnel Mines (CNEMA), 27 July and 10 August 2020; Germany Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 16 March 2020; Italy Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 25 June 2020; Japan Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 March 2020; Netherlands Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 2020; New Zealand Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 2020; email from Ingrid Schøyen, Senior Advisor, Humanitarian Affairs, Norway Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2020; United Nations Mine Action Service, ‘‘Annual Report 2019,’’ 22 April 2020, pp. 32–33; email from Kajsa Aulin, Assistant Health Affairs and Disarmament, Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations in Geneva, 24 September 2020; Switzerland Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 28 April 2020.

[2] Average exchange rates for 2019: A$1=US$0.6952; C$1.3269=US$1; CHF0.9937=US$1; DKK6.6703=US$1; €1=US$1.1194; NOK8.8001=US$1; NZ$1=US$0.6591; SEK9.4604=US$1; and ¥109.02=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January 2020.

[3] See previous Monitor reports. The total amount of assistance received in 2017 was revised to include previously not reported contributions from France and the United States.