01 November 2001

Fact Sheet: The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program

(The following fact sheet on the U.S. humanitarian demining program was issued by the State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs November 1.)

The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program:
A Commitment to Make the World Mine-Safe

The U.S. government's Humanitarian Demining Program seeks to relieve human suffering while promoting U.S. interests. The program's objectives are to reduce civilian casualties, create conditions for the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes, reinforce an affected country's stability, and encourage international cooperation and participation. Since Fiscal Year (FY) 1993, the United States has committed over $500 million to global mine action initiatives, including research and development.

Obtaining U.S. Demining Assistance

A mine-affected country generally requests U.S. assistance via the U.S. Embassy. If the Embassy endorses the request, it is then forwarded to a U.S. Government Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC) Subgroup on humanitarian mine action, chaired by the National Security Council with the Department of State (DOS) and the Department of Defense (DoD) as vice-chairs. The PCC is in charge of approving and coordinating U.S. humanitarian demining programs.

Upon receiving a U.S. Embassy-endorsed request for demining assistance, the PCC Subgroup determines whether to conduct a Policy Assessment Visit to the affected country to evaluate the nature of the mine problem, the requesting nation's commitment to solving the problem, and the suitability of U.S. assistance. Based on this assessment, the PCC may approve the establishment of a formal program for the country.

A typical U.S. program involves assisting in the establishment of a mine action center (MAC), a mine awareness program, and a demining training program. As a country develops its mine clearance capabilities, the PCC Subgroup will periodically evaluate the development of the program. When the program reaches self-sustainment, the United States passes off its active role to the host nation.

U.S. Funding and Participation

U.S. funding support for humanitarian mine action comes from DOS, DoD, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Mine clearance operations, surveys, mine awareness efforts, survivor assistance, training, and equipment are supported through programs within these entities.

DOS funding is provided under the Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related (NADR) programs appropriation. These funds support both commercial and nongovernmental organization initiatives to a host country's program and its progress towards sustainment, including the provision of equipment, technical assistance, training, and other services. NADR funds are also used to support programs conducted by international organizations such as the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Through NADR funds, DOS is also able to transfer money to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, directly to a U.S. Embassy, or to an operational element of DoD to support the acquisition of services and equipment. FY01 NADR funds totaled $40 million.

DoD funds humanitarian demining activities from its Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid (OHDACA) account. FY01 OHDACA funds totaled $25.5 million. OHDACA funding is provided principally to support training and equipment. DoD funds training conducted by the U.S. Special Forces personnel assigned to various commanders-in-chief. DoD also supports mine awareness education initiatives and, through separate funding (approximately $12 million in FY01), research and development of promising mine detection and removal technologies. Another principal source of funding for humanitarian mine action is USAID. Through the Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund, the agency contributes to improving the mobility, health, and social integration of the disabled, including landmine survivors.

Accomplishments

Since 1993, the United States has established humanitarian demining programs in 38 countries, in addition to the Province of Kosovo and Northwest Somalia. The Program will expand to several additional countries in 2002. The United States, other donors, and mine-affected countries can take pride in the following success stories, each of which is commended for the reach of mine awareness programs, the number of landmines found and destroyed, the amount of land cleared, or the number of survivors provided with assistance.

Afghanistan

The Mine Action Program for Afghanistan is one of the most effective demining programs worldwide. Mine awareness briefings have reached over seven million people; the landmine casualty rate has been reduced by 50 percent; Afghan deminers have cleared 244 square kilometers of high priority, mine-infested land and destroyed 210,000 landmines and 985,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO); and 1.5 million refugees have been able to return to their homes.

Cambodia

The humanitarian demining program in Cambodia is now in the sustainment phase, with a fully trained staff of 2,400 Cambodians, in addition to 35 foreign technical advisors and six U.N. staff members. Deminers from the Cambodia Mine Action Center have cleared 145,588,996 square kilometers of land, destroyed 131,176 landmines and 603,774 pieces of UXO, and reduced landmines casualties by almost 70 percent.

Jordan

Since 1997, a national mine awareness program, demining operations, and the use of more effective protective equipment have lowered civilian and military casualties significantly. At present, Jordan is conducting a Level Two Survey of minefields along the Syrian border. As of February 2000, Jordan's Royal Corps of Engineers had cleared 83,823 landmines from about 200 minefields, restoring more than 1,200 hectares of land to safe use.

Laos

U.S. Special Operations Force soldiers have trained more than 1,000 Lao, creating an indigenous training capability. UXO Lao personnel have destroyed more than 292,000 pieces of UXO, cleared 1,880 hectares of land, and conducted 5,848 mine UXO awareness visits in over 2,500 villages. More than 300 Lao medical staff members have received training in emergency rehabilitation or laboratory services.

Mozambique

Since 1992, mine clearance operations have removed more than 15,000 landmines, 13,000 UXO, and opened more than 4,500 kilometers of roads, facilitating post-war resettlement of agricultural land and reconnecting nearly one million people to their local economies. Operations have also played a vital role in Mozambique's overall development strategy. For example, the Massingir Dam project will supply electricity and irrigation to approximately 9,000 hectares of land and the Sena rail line project will open large areas of the Zambezi River Valley to development.

Namibia

Namibia possesses a modern demining capability and a dedicated unit of over 1,000 deminers. These deminers have cleared more than one million square meters of land, restoring it to productive use, and destroyed more than 5,000 mines and 1,300 UXO. Namibia is progressing towards mine-safe status with the clearance of ten known minefields and 410 electric power pylons.

Nicaragua

To date, approximately 26,240 landmines have been found and destroyed by Nicaraguan deminers, declaring 24 Nicaraguan municipalities and 168 kilometers of international borders mine-safe. In total, approximately 1,856,540.5 square kilometers of land has been cleared.

Rwanda

The Rwandan program is now at the sustainment phase. More than 200 U.S.-trained deminers and Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel have cleared over seven million square meters of land, including 6,000 kilometers of bush roads, destroying almost 24,000 mine and UXO. Landmines and UXO fatalities have dropped from 108 in 1994 to three in 2000. Some 400,000 refugees and 200,000 internally displaced persons have returned to their villages.