Since 2008, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has received more than US$500 million in international assistance for mine action. In 2012, it received $90.6 million from 18 donor governments and the European Union (EU), more than any other country both in the amount of the contributions and the number of donors. The United States (US) contributed $40 million in 2012, the same as in 2011, representing some 40% of the total international mine action assistance in Afghanistan. Six donors contributed more than $4 million each.[1]

In September 2011, in its continuing support for the reconstruction of Afghanistan that began in 1997, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) committed $25.83 million to mine action to conduct community-based mine action services in Kandahar province.[2] The UAE selected the US-based company EOD Technology to implement the project.[3] The first installment, paid in late 2011, was for $1,999,975.[4] In 2012, the UAE allocated $13,397,300 to the company, Sterling Global Operations to continue clearance operations in Kandahar province.[5]

Afghanistan also reported that $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 $42.6 million in payments 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, and 71,000 pieces of small arms ammunition while checking a total of 48km².[6]

The government of Afghanistan committed $4.1 million to mine action 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.[7] In 2012, the Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan (MACCA) reported that the government of Afghanistan had contributed $1.8 million to mine action.[8]

International contributions: 2012[9]

Victim Assistance

Victim assistance is integrated within the broader coordination mechanisms of the disability sector.[10] Consequently, overall funding to victim assistance is under-reported. The US, Norway, Germany, and Italy reported direct funding from mine action sources to NGOs for victim assistance in 2012. Additionally, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) reported that from the contributions to the Voluntary Trust Fund earmarked for Afghanistan, $1,141,322 was allocated to victim assistance, of which approximately half came from earmarked funds from Italy. The remaining victim assistance funding through UNMAS came from contributions from Australia, Denmark, Germany, and Japan.[11]

Contributions for victim assistance: 2012

Summary of contributions: 2008–2012[12]