Belgium
Support for Mine Action
In 2012, the Kingdom of Belgium contributed €5,592,222 (US$7,191,039) in mine action funding to seven states and three other areas, as well as to the UN Mine Action Service, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the ICRC.[1] Belgium’s contribution in 2012 was its lowest since 2004. Since 2010, Belgium’s mine action funding has decreased by €3.4 million ($4.7 million) or 40%.
Belgium contributed 81% of its total funding in 2012 to the ICRC, Angola, Kosovo and Lebanon.
Belgium has also provided financial support to a variety of research projects. Since 1997, it has funded the NGO APOPO in support of the use of rats in mine detection. The Ministry of Defense and the Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs have funded the PARADIS project which studies the use of satellite imagery in demining. Belgium also supports research through the Comité Européen de Normalisation to define new standards for characterizing soil in electromagnetic mine detection sensors.[2]
Contributions by recipient: 2012[3]
|
Recipient |
Sector |
Amount (€) |
Amount ($) |
|
ICRC |
Mine action |
2,000,000 |
2,571,800 |
|
Angola |
Clearance |
1,081,000 |
1,390,058 |
|
Kosovo |
Clearance |
750,528 |
965,104 |
|
Lebanon |
Clearance |
709,397 |
912,214 |
|
Global |
Advocacy, victim assistance |
275,000 |
353,623 |
|
Palestine |
Clearance |
250,000 |
321,475 |
|
Peru |
Clearance |
168,062 |
216,111 |
|
Jordan |
Clearance |
100,000 |
128,590 |
|
Somaliland |
Clearance |
100,000 |
128,590 |
|
Iraq |
Clearance |
100,000 |
128,590 |
|
Philippines |
Advocacy |
40,000 |
51,436 |
|
Ecuador |
Clearance |
18,235 |
23,448 |
|
Total |
|
5,592,222 |
7,191,039 |
Belgium contributed 56% of its support to clearance, capacity development, and other activities associated with clearance operations. Its contributions to victim assistance, totaling €218,062 ($280,406) went to the OAS for activities in Peru and to Handicap International for global activities.
Contributions by thematic sector: 2012
|
Sector |
Amount (€) |
Amount ($) |
|
Clearance |
3,149,160 |
4,049,505 |
|
Various |
2,000,000 |
2,571,800 |
|
Advocacy |
225,000 |
289,328 |
|
Victim assistance |
218,062 |
280,406 |
|
Total |
5,592,222 |
7,191,039 |
Belgium’s annual contributions to mine action have fallen considerably since 2010. In 2012, Belgium cut its foreign aid budget by 13%, affecting funding for mine action.
Summary of contributions: 2008–2012[4]
|
Year |
Amount (€) |
Amount ($) |
|
2012 |
5,592,222 |
7,191,039 |
|
2011 |
5,843,386 |
8,140,421 |
|
2010 |
9,006,972 |
11,944,146 |
|
2009 |
7,444,646 |
10,374,114 |
|
2008 |
7,145,951 |
10,523,127 |
|
Total |
35,033,177 |
48,172,847 |
[1] Average exchange rate for 2012: €1=US$1.2859. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2013.
[2] Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form E, 8 April 2013; and CCW Protocol V Article 10 Report, Form F, 8 April 2013.
[3] CCW Protocol V Article 10 Report, Form F, 8 April 2013; Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2013; Lebanon Mine Action Center, “2012 Annual Report Lebanon Mine Action Center,” Beirut, March 2013, p. 45; and emails from Carl Case, Director of the Office of Humanitarian Mine Action, OAS, 24 April and 27 June 2013.
[4] See Landmine Monitor reports 2008–2011; and ICBL-CMC, “Country Profile: Belgium: Support for Mine Action,” 30 July 2012.