Sudan

Last Updated: 22 November 2013

Support for Mine Action

In 2012, three donors and the Common Humanitarian Fund contributed US$4.7 million for clearance operations in the Republic of the Sudan, a decline of approximately $1.3 million from 2011.[1]

The African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) is the sole source of funding for mine action in Darfur. In 2012, through assessed peacekeeping funds, UNAMID received $10.1 million for mine action.[2] Since 2008, it has received almost $53 million for mine action. The funding from UNAMID is by the Ordnance Disposal Office (ODO) for capacity development, operations, and to contract The Development Initiative (TDI) for survey and Explosive Ordnance Disposal.[3] ODO comprises 13 international staff and 38 national staff, while TDI has 15 international staff and 73 national staff. There are sub-offices in North, South, and West Darfur states.[4]

In 2011, the government of Sudan contributed $1.3 million to mine action, similar to their support in 2010 and 2011.[5] Sudan has committed $6 million to mine action for 2013.[6]

International contributions: 2012[7]

Donor Country

Sector

Amount

(national currency)

Amount

($)

United Kingdom

Clearance

£1,849,416

2,931,879

Switzerland

Clearance

CHF760,501

811,028

Netherlands

Clearance

€500,000

642,950

Common Humanitarian Fund

Clearance

$400,000

400,000

 

 

 

4,785,857

Since 2007, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has authorized the appropriation of annual mine action budgets for the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) operating in Sudan, and the African Union/UN Hybrid operation (UNAMID) in Darfur. From 2007 until July 2011, the assessed budgets for UNMIS and UNAMID mine action were more than $190 million, including some 80% of the Sudan Mine Action Program over the five-year period. In 2011, the UNGA authorized $25.1 million for UNMIS and $10.3 million for UNAMID, representing 82% of the total mine action budget in Sudan.[8]

Some of the funds from the assessed peacekeeping budgets were used to contract commercial companies for landmine clearance and battle area clearance. With the end of the UNMIS mission in July 2011, funds were no longer available to contract commercial companies in the northern states in Sudan, excluding Darfur. The contracting of commercial companies has continued in South Sudan under the UN Mission in South Sudan.[9]

Summary of contributions (assessed peacekeeping funds for mine action): 2008–2011[10]

Year

UNMIS assessed mine action budget

UNAMID assessed mine action budget

2012

0

10,115,000

2011

25,134,669

10,286,950

2010

44,865,600

9,855,600

2009

43,015,032

10,806,650

2008

40,328,600

11,761,000

Total

153,343,901

52,825,200

Since July 2011, Sudan has not received any funding through assessed peacekeeping funds as the UNMIS mandate ended with independence for South Sudan. Additionally, in 2013 international assistance appears to be much less after Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and DanChurchAid both closed their mine action programs in Sudan after the government of Sudan restricted their travel.[11]

Summary of contributions (includes South Sudan): 2008–2012[12]

Year

National Contributions ($)

UNMIS assessed mine action budget

UNAMID assessed mine action budget

International contributions ($)

Total contributions ($)

2012

1,300,000

0

10,115,000

4,785,857

16,200,857

2011

1,200,000

25,134,669

10,286,950

6,049,921

42,671,540

2010

1,200,000

44,865,600

9,855,600

27,021,318

82,942,518

2009

5,000,000

43,015,032

10,806,650

25,250,222

84,071,904

2008

4,927,019

40,328,600

11,761,000

39,077,807

96,094,426

Total

13,627,019

153,343,901

52,825,200

102,185,125

321,981,245

 

 



[1] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Richard Bolden, Policy Analyst Mine Action, Arms Exports and ATT, Department for International Development (DfID), 7 May 2013; response to Monitor questionnaire from Fabienne Moust, Policy Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 19 March 2013; response to Monitor questionnaire by Claudia Moser, Section for Multilateral Peace Policy, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, 22 March 2013; UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), “UNMAS Annual Report 2012,” p. 39; and Financial Tracking Service “Sudan - CHF Funding and Allocations in 2012,” 28 Dec. 2012.

[2] UNMAS, UNMAS Annual Report 2011, New York, September 2012.

[4] UNMAS, “About UNMAS in Darfur,” undated.

[5] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, April 2012.

[6] Response of Sudan to questions received from Analysing Group on Sudan Extension request to Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline, 22 May 2013, p. 4.

[7] Average exchange rate for 2012: €1=US$1.2859; US$1=CHF0.9377; £1=US$1.5853. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2013.

[8] UNMAS, “Annual Report 2010,” New York, September 2011, p. 98.

[9] Interview with Lance Malin, Program Manager, UN Mine Action Coordination Centre, in Geneva, 22 March 2012.

[12] See ICBL-CMC, Country Profile: Sudan: Support for Mine Action,” 15 September 2011.