Norway
Support for Mine Action
In 2012, the Kingdom of Norway contributed NOK281,519,998 (US$48,386,930) in mine action funding to 28 mine-affected states, two areas, and several NGOs and institutions for global activities.[1] This represented the fourth largest contribution in 2012 after the United States, European Union, and Japan. Almost one-third of the contribution went to NGOs and institutions for global activities along with the ICRC. The ICRC received NOK25.5 million ($4.3 million).
Norway contributed 17% of its support to institutions and NGOs for advocacy activities such as for the universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions and support to the ICRC.
Contributions by recipient: 2012[2]
Recipient |
Sector |
Amount (NOK) |
Amount ($) |
Global |
Various |
62,763,171 |
10,787,572 |
ICRC |
Various |
25,531,716 |
4,388,325 |
Bosnia |
Clearance, Victim assistance |
17,030,985 |
2,927,242 |
South Sudan |
Clearance |
15,000,000 |
2,578,161 |
Afghanistan |
Clearance, Victim assistance |
14,678,193 |
2,522,850 |
Lebanon |
Clearance |
14,000,000 |
2,406,284 |
Lao PDR |
Clearance |
12,500,000 |
2,148,468 |
Tajikistan |
Clearance, Victim assistance |
9,572,152 |
1,645,237 |
DR Congo |
Clearance |
9,000,000 |
1,546,897 |
Libya |
Clearance |
8,910,000 |
1,531,428 |
Sri Lanka |
Clearance |
8,630,000 |
1,483,302 |
Serbia |
Clearance |
8,520,000 |
1,464,396 |
Mozambique |
Clearance |
7,950,000 |
1,366,425 |
Vietnam |
Clearance, Victim assistance |
7,912,803 |
1,360,032 |
Cambodia |
Clearance |
7,000,000 |
1,203,142 |
Ethiopia |
Clearance, Victim assistance |
6,915,350 |
1,188,592 |
Jordan |
Clearance |
6,000,000 |
1,031,265 |
Myanmar |
Clearance, Victim assistance |
5,050,000 |
867,981 |
Iraq |
Clearance |
5,000,000 |
859,387 |
Mauritania |
Clearance |
5,000,000 |
859,387 |
Somaliland |
Clearance |
4,700,000 |
807,824 |
Thailand |
Clearance |
4,000,000 |
687,510 |
Senegal |
Clearance |
3,000,000 |
515,632 |
Zimbabwe |
Clearance |
3,000,000 |
515,632 |
Colombia |
Victim assistance |
2,000,000 |
343,755 |
Ecuador |
Clearance |
1,800,000 |
309,379 |
Peru |
Clearance |
1,800,000 |
309,379 |
Azerbaijan |
Clearance |
1,500,000 |
257,816 |
Guinea Bissau |
Clearance |
1,000,000 |
171,877 |
Western Sahara |
Clearance |
930,000 |
159,846 |
El Salvador |
Victim assistance |
725,628 |
124,719 |
Uganda |
Victim assistance |
100,000 |
17,188 |
Total |
|
281,519,998 |
48,386,930 |
Norway is one of the largest donors that supports victim assistance through
traditional mine action funding sources. In 2012, Norway contributed NOK24.29
million ($4.17 million) to victim assistance, including NOK10 million ($1,718,774)
to the ICRC.
At the intersessional Meetings for the Convention on Cluster Munitions in April 2013 in Geneva, Norway cautioned about evaluating victim assistance support solely as a horse race involving financial contributions:
“Taking a rights based, non-discriminatory and inclusive approach to victim assistance – which we as the mine action community have agreed in principle for many years – must have as its consequence that we at some point stop discussing assistance to victims of specific weapons in separate fora depending on which weapon caused the injury, and rather spend more time and resources making sure that the victims of mines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war are included in other influential for a which might have a more direct bearing on the situation of victims than our own plenary discussions. In addition, we must conclude that funding projects dedicated to or earmarked for assisting victims of weapons might be contradictory to the principle of non-discrimination. It is therefore my prediction that in the coming years we will see a downward trend in funds identified as dedicated to assisting victims of landmines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war – but that more and more states, including donors such as Norway, will strive to ensure that their development cooperation will strive to ensure that their development cooperation is inclusive of all persons with disabilities.”[3]
Contributions by thematic sector: 2012
Sector |
Amount (NOK) |
Amount ($) |
% of total contribution |
Clearance |
183,480,000 |
31,536,068 |
65 |
Advocacy |
49,140,000 |
8,446,056 |
17 |
Various |
24,609,525 |
4,229,822 |
9 |
Victim assistance |
24,290,473 |
4,174,984 |
9 |
Total |
281,519,998 |
48,386,930 |
100 |
Summary of Contributions: 2008–2012[4]
Year |
Amount (NOK) |
Amount ($) |
2012 |
281,519,998 |
48,386,930 |
2011 |
299,018,235 |
53,375,145 |
2010 |
304,163,181 |
50,315,657 |
2009 |
224,615,910 |
35,705,460 |
2008 |
206,631,608 |
36,659,560 |
Total |
1,315,948,932 |
224,442,752 |
[1] Average exchange rate for 2012: NOK5.8181=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2013.
[2] 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.
[3] Statement of Norway, Ingunn Vatne, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Technical Workshop on Cooperation and Assistance, Meetings on the Convention on Cluster Munitions Geneva, 15 April 2013.
[4] See Landmine Monitor reports 2008–2011; and ICBL-CMC, “Country Profile: Norway: Support for Mine Action,” 19 September 2013.
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