Afghanistan
Support for Mine Action
Support for Mine Action
Since 2007, Afghanistan has received US$500 million in international assistance for mine action. In 2011, it received $98.7 million from 19 donor governments and the International Road Union.[1] The United States (US) contributed $40 million in 2011, representing some 40% of the total international assistance. Thirteen donors contributed more than $1 million each.
Victim assistance is integrated within the broader coordination mechanisms of the disability sector.[2] Consequently, overall funding to victim assistance is under-reported. Only the US (almost $4 million) and Norway (NOK5 million/US$892,507) contributions were reported.[3] Additionally, funding from Australia to the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), which included clearance and victim assistance, is not disaggregated.
Afghanistan also reported that US$128 million was spent from April 2010 to 31 March 2012 to check for landmines over a total of 100km2 in conjunction with development and construction activities. This included a $42.6 million payment to 21 international and national commercial companies from April 2011 to March 2012, which found four antipersonnel mines, 40 antivehicle mines, 23,000 items of unexploded ordnance (UXO), and 71,000 pieces of small arms ammunition while checking a total of 48km2. The Mine Action Coordination Center of Afghanistan (MACCA) records outputs on checking for mines in the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) but separates the results from progress made against known hazards.[4] Funding for checking for mines comes primarily from the US through the Army Corps of Engineers, as mandated by the US Congress.[5]
The government of Afghanistan committed US$4.1 million from December 2010 to July 2012, to be paid in quarterly installments. Of the $4.1 million, $94,435 is for clearance at the Eshposhta coal mine.[6] In 2011, the MACCA reported the Government of Afghanistan had contributed $3.9 million to mine action.[7]
International contributions in 2011[8]
Donor Country |
Sector |
Amount in national currency |
US$ |
US |
Clearance, victim assistance |
$40,475,000 |
40,475,000 |
Japan |
Clearance |
¥1,016,745,333 |
12,757,156 |
Australia |
Clearance, victim assistance |
A$10,000,000 |
10,332,000 |
Germany |
Clearance |
€5,449,998 |
7,592,392 |
Netherlands |
Clearance |
€3,970,000 |
5,530,607 |
Canada |
Clearance |
C$4,932,331 |
4,988,703 |
Norway |
Clearance, victim assistance, advocacy |
NOK19,071,000 |
3,404,198 |
Finland |
Clearance |
€2,332,000 |
3,248,709 |
Denmark |
Clearance |
DKK14,000,000 |
2,615,112 |
Sweden |
Clearance |
SEK15,000,000 |
2,312,032 |
International Road Union |
Clearance |
US$1,900,000 |
1,900,000 |
UK |
Clearance |
£1,154,368 |
1,851,953 |
Ireland |
Clearance |
€800,000 |
1,114,480 |
Luxembourg |
Clearance |
€180,647 |
251,659 |
Austria |
Clearance |
€135,000 |
188,069 |
Oman |
Clearance |
US$100,000 |
100,000 |
South Korea |
Clearance |
US$50,000 |
50,000 |
Belgium |
Clearance |
€10,000 |
13,931 |
Estonia |
Clearance |
US$4,968 |
4,968 |
Lithuania |
Clearance |
US$3,000 |
3,000 |
Total |
|
|
98,733,969 |
Summary of contributions in 2007–2011 (US$)[9]
Year |
Amount |
2011 |
98,733,969 |
2010 |
102,552,749 |
2009 |
106,555,763 |
2008 |
105,070,944 |
2007 |
86,274,716 |
Total |
499,188,141 |
[1] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Christine Pahlman, Mine Action Coordinator, AusAID, 24 April 2012; Belgium Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2012; Canada Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2012; Response to Monitor questionnaire from Katrine Joensen, Head of Section, Security Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark, 1 May 2012; email from Eugen Secareanu, Resource Mobilisation Unit, UNMAS, 30 May 2012; email from Sirpa Loikkanen, Secretary, Unit for Humanitarian Assistance, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 20 February 2012; Response to Monitor questionnaire by Lt.-Col. Klaus Koppetsch, Desk Officer Mine Action, German Federal Foreign Office, 20 April 2012; Ireland Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2012; Japan Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 12 May 2012; Lithuania Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 March 2012; Response to Monitor questionnaire by Douwe Buzeman, Policy Officer Security and Development, Peace Building and Stabilisation Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands, 16 April 2012; by Maria Linderyd Linder, Deputy Director, Head of Section, Department for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden, 24 April 2012; and by Hannah Binci, Security and Justice Team, Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department, DfID, 9 May 2012; and US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2011,” Washington, DC, July 2012.
[2] ICBL-CMC, “Country Profile: Afghanistan: Casualties and Victim Assistance,” 21 October 2011.
[3] Average exchange rate for 2011: NOK5.6022 = US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List f Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2012.
[4] Emails from MACCA, 14 July 2011; and from Mohammad Sediq Rashid, Chief of Operations/Officer-in-Charge, MACCA, 19 September 2012.
[5] Afghanistan Engineer District-North, “Quantity Contract for Demining UXO/Clearance in Afghanistan,” 2 September 2009, www.aed.usace.army.mil.
[6] Email from MACCA, 14 July 2011.
[7] MACCA, “Fast Facts: December 2011 report.”
[8] Exchange rates for 2011: A$1 = US$1.0332; C$0.9887 = US$1; DKK5.3535 = US$1; €1= US$1.3931; ¥79.7 = US$1; NOK5.6022 = US$1; SEK6.4878 = US$1; £1 = US$1.6043. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2012.
[9] See previous editions of Landmine Monitor; and ICBL-CMC, “Country Profile: Afghanistan: Support for Mine Action,” 31 August 2011.