Afghanistan
Support for Mine Action
National
The government of Afghanistan began contributing to its mine action program in 2009. In June 2009 the government of Afghanistan agreed to contribute US$2,600,000 for mine clearance in support of the development of the Aynak copper mine in Logar province. Of this, $1,277,000 was used in Afghan year 1388 (1 April 2009–31 March 2010); the remainder was spent in Afghan year 1389 (1 April 2010–31 March 2011). In addition, Afghanistan committed $4,100,000 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.[1]
Afghanistan also reported that $85.45 million was spent from April 2010 to 31 March 2011 to check for landmines covering 51.7km2 of land prior to beginning development projects. 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.[2] Funding for checking for mines comes primarily from the United States (US) through the Army Corps of Engineers, as mandated by the US Congress.[3]
International
In 2010, international contributions towards mine action in Afghanistan totaled $102,552,749,[4] which represents a decrease of 4% compared to 2009. The US provided the largest contribution ($33,820,000), while Canada and Japan each provided over $18 million.
Of the total contribution, 96% went towards clearance activities, while the remainder was for victim assistance activities.
Donors reported that 31% of the total contribution was allocated specifically for activities related to mines and ERW not including cluster munitions, while 70% went towards activities where no differentiation was made between landmine and cluster munition related activities.
International contributions: 2010[5]
Donor |
Sector |
Amount |
Amount ($) |
US |
Clearance; victim assistance |
$33,820,000 |
33,820,000 |
Canada |
Clearance |
C$19,272,706 |
18,714,999 |
Japan |
Clearance |
¥1,625,278,636 |
18,515,364 |
Netherlands |
Clearance |
€5,266,364 |
6,983,725 |
Germany |
Clearance |
€5,165,558 |
6,850,046 |
United Kingdom (UK) |
Clearance |
£1,984,278 |
3,066,106 |
Norway |
Victim assistance |
NOK18,390,000 |
3,042,133 |
Sweden |
Clearance |
SEK20,000,000 |
2,775,735 |
Denmark |
Clearance |
DKK15,000,000 |
2,665,908 |
Finland |
Clearance |
€1,590,000 |
2,108,499 |
Belgium |
Clearance |
€1,000,000 |
1,326,100 |
Ireland |
Clearance |
€800,000 |
1,060,880 |
Italy |
Clearance |
€400,000 |
530,440 |
Austria |
Clearance |
€365,000 |
484,027 |
Luxembourg |
Clearance |
€225,473 |
299,000 |
Czech Republic |
Clearance |
CZK4,000,000 |
209,787 |
South Korea |
Clearance |
$100,000 |
100,000 |
Total |
|
|
102,552,749 |
N/R = Not reported
Summary of contributions: 2006–2010[6]
Year |
Amount ($) |
2010 |
102,552,749 |
2009 |
106,555,763 |
2008 |
105,070,944 |
2007 |
86,274,716 |
2006 |
87,534,418 |
Total |
487,988,590 |
[1] Email from MACCA, 14 July 2011.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Afghanistan Engineer District-North, “Quantity Contract for Demining UXO/Clearance in Afghanistan,” 2 September 2009, www.aed.usace.army.mil.
[4] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Wolfgang Bányai, Unit for Arms Control and Disarmament in the Framework of the UN, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, Austria, 29 March 2011; Miroslav Klima, Deputy Director, UN Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Czech Republic, 2 July 2011; Hanne B. Elmelund Gam, Department for Security Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark, 29 March 2011; Lt.-Col. Klaus Koppetsch, Desk Officer Mine Action, German Federal Foreign Office, 18 April 2011; Alma Ni Choigligh, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Section, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland, 31 March 2011; Manfredo Capozza, Humanitarian Demining Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy, 6 April 2011; Chisa Takiguchi, Official, Conventional Arms Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan, 27 April 2011; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Luxembourg, 8 April 2011; Ingunn Vatne, Senior Advisor, Department for Human Rights, Democracy and Humanitarian Assistance, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 27 April 2011; and Hannah Binci, Security and Justice Team, Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department, Department for International Development, UK, 10 August 2011. Austria Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 26 January 2011; Belgium Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2011; Belgium Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 27 January 2011; Canada Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2011; letter from Markku Virri, Arms Control Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland, 10 March 2011; email from Julia Goehsing, Program Officer, Resource Mobilisation Unit, UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), 19 April 2011; email from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Luxembourg, 16 August 2011; and US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2011,” Washington, DC, July 2011.
[5] Average exchange rate for 2010: US$1=C$1.0298; US$1=¥87.78; €1=US$1.3261; £1=US$1.5452; US$1=NOK6.0451; US$1=SEK7.2053; US$1=DKK5.6266; and US$1=CZK19.0670. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 6 January 2011.
[6] See previous editions of Landmine Monitor; and ICBL-CMC, “Country Profile: Afghanistan: Support for Mine Action,” www.the-monitor.org, 5 October 2010.