Myanmar/Burma

Last Updated: 07 October 2013

Support for Mine Action

In 2012, six donors contributed US$8.5 million to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar for mine action, an increase from $674,368 in 2011.[1] Of the $8.5 million, almost $2 million from Denmark, Norway, and the United States (US) was for victim assistance.

Despite the high level of funding, a variety of factors have delayed the start of survey and clearance operations. The government has not yet approved a landmine law, and non-state armed groups have restricted access to mined areas. Additionally, an overall lack of trust in the peace process amongst all groups has made agreements difficult to conclude.[2] As an illustration of the situation, according to The Economist, “the mine-action centre is just a rather dilapidated building without staff or offices.”[3]

International contributions: 2012[4]

Donor

Sector

Amount

(national currency)

Amount

($)

European Union

Clearance

€3,500,000

4,500,650

US

Survey, victim assistance

$2,178,286

2,178,286

Norway

Clearance, victim assistance

NOK5,050,000

867,981

Denmark

Risk education, victim assistance

DKK2,500,000

431,615

Luxembourg

Clearance

€284,878

366,325

Switzerland

Risk education

CHF149,000

158,899

Total

 

 

8,503,756

Summary of contributions: 2008–2012[5]

Year

International contributions ($)

2012

8,503,756

2011

674,368

2010

36,393

2009

779,393

2008

1,020,134

Totals

11,014,044

 

 



[1] US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2013,” Washington DC, August 2013; email from Rob Horvath, Manager, Leahy War Victims Fund, USAID, 2 August 2013; response to Monitor questionnaire by Claudia Moser, Section for Multilateral Peace Policy, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, 22 March 2013; response to Monitor questionnaire by Ingunn Vatne, Senior Advisor, Department for Human Rights, Democracy and Humanitarian Assistance, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 11 April 2013; and email from Carolin J. Thielking, European Union Mine Action Focal Point, Division for WMD, Conventional Weapons and Space, European External Action Service, 15 May 2013.

[2]De-Mining Delayed in Karen, Karenni States,” The Irrawaddy, 12 July 2013.

[4] Average exchange rate for 2012: €1=US$1.2859; DKK5.7922=US$1; NOK5.8181=US$1; CHF0.9377=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2013.

[5] ICBL-CMC, “Country Profile: Myanmar: Support for Mine Action,” 10 September 2012.