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Lebanon
Support for Mine Action
In 2009 the government of Lebanon contributed US$6.5 million to mine action for personnel from the Lebanese Armed Forces, vehicles including fuel and maintenance, communications, and medical care.[1]
In May 2010 the Lebanon Mine Action Center (LMAC) and Blom Bank, one of Lebanon’s largest banks, launched an innovative national fundraising effort that will earn LMAC a percentage of each national and international transaction with a Blom MasterCard Giving Affinity credit card.[2] General Mohamed Fehmi, LMAC’s Director stated, “This initiative will not only contribute materially to resolving the problem of landmines, but it will also raise the awareness of the Lebanese public and show international donors that the Lebanese private sector is also doing its part in this important effort.”[3]
Contributions from 12 international donors[4] and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) totaled $21,210,204, a decrease of $6.6 million, or 24%, from 2008. The United States and Norway contributed a combined $10,374,632 while Belgium’s €3,032,000 ($4,225,092) contribution was for a demining team with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon. The US and Canada contributed $1,344,164 for victim assistance.
The UNRWA supports demining and explosive ordnance disposal at the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp for Palestinians in partnership with Handicap International (HI).[5]
International contributions: 2009[6]
|
Donor |
Sector |
Amount (national currency) |
Amount ($) |
|
US |
Clearance, victim assistance |
$6,241,672 |
6,241,672 |
|
Belgium |
Clearance |
€3,032,000 |
4,225,092 |
|
Norway |
Clearance |
NOK26,000,000 |
4,132,960 |
|
UNRWA |
Clearance |
$1,404,000 |
1,404,000 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
Clearance |
$1,000,000 |
1,000,000 |
|
Denmark |
Clearance |
DKK5,000,000 |
933,300 |
|
Germany |
Clearance |
€623,407 |
868,718 |
|
Spain |
Clearance |
€445,000 |
620,108 |
|
United Kingdom |
Clearance |
£350,189 |
548,431 |
|
Canada |
Victim assistance |
C$621,000 |
544,164 |
|
Australia |
Clearance |
A$500,000 |
396,350 |
|
Switzerland |
Clearance |
CHF283,072 |
260,656 |
|
Sweden |
Clearance |
SEK266,000 |
34,753 |
|
Total |
|
|
21,210,204 |
Summary of contributions: 2005–2009[7]
|
Year |
National contributions ($) |
International contributions ($) |
Total contributions ($) |
|
2009 |
6,500,000 |
21,210,204 |
27,710,204 |
|
2008 |
5,500,000 |
27,768,536 |
33,268,536 |
|
2007 |
5,500,000 |
28,338,812 |
33,838,812 |
|
2006 |
4,000,000 |
68,845,934 |
72,845,934 |
|
2005 |
N/R |
6,300,000 |
6,300,000 |
|
Total |
21,500,000 |
152,463,486 |
173,963,486 |
N/R=not reported
[1] Email from Lt.-Col. El Cheikh, Logistic and Administration Head, Mine Risk Education Section Head, LMAC, 5 May 2010.
[2] Blom Bank brochure provided to the Monitor, Geneva, 25 June 2010; and Blom Bank, “Blom Bank Launches the Blom Mastercard Giving Affinity Card In collaboration with the Lebanese Mine Action Center, a unit of the Lebanese ARM,” Press release, 20 May 2010, Beirut, www.blombank.com.
[3]“Blom Bank launches Blom MasterCard Giving Affinity credit card,” ameinfo.com, 25 May 2010, www.ameinfo.com.
[4] Interview with Hilde Bergsma, Mine Action Programme Manager, HI, Byblos, 23 February 2010; response to Monitor questionnaire by Ira Amin, Intern, Multilateral Peace Policy Section, Directorate of Political Affairs, Political Affairs Division IV, Human Security, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, 20 April 2010; email from Vilde Rosén, Advisor, Humanitarian Disarmament Department for UN, Peace and Humanitarian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 13 April 2010; email from Julia Goehsing, Programme Officer, UN Mine Action Service, 23 April 2010; email from Amb. Lars-Erik Wingren, Department for Disarmament and Non-proliferation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 17 March 2010; email from Ira Amin, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, 4 May 2010; email from Hanne Elmelund Gam, Department of Humanitarian and NGO Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2010; Belgium Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2010; and US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2010,” Washington, DC, July 2010.
[5] Interview with Hilde Bergsma, HI, Byblos, 23 February 2010.
[6] Average exchange rates for 2009: €1=US$1.3935, NOK1= US$0.15896, DKK1=$0.18666, £1=US$1.5661, C$1=US$0.87627, A$1=US$0.7927, CHF1=US$0.92081, SEK1=US$0.13065. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 4 January 2010.
[7] See Landmine Monitor Report 2008, p. 1,009.
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