Afghanistan

Support for Mine Action

Last updated: 19 October 2015

In 2014, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan received US$49.3 million from 14 donor governments, a decrease of 27% compared to 2013.

The United States (US) provided the largest contribution with $22.5 million ($6 million less than in 2013), which represents some 46% of the total international mine action assistance in Afghanistan for 2014. Four other donors contributed more than $3 million each: Germany ($4.4 million), Sweden ($3.6 million), the Netherlands ($3.4 million), and Japan ($3.3 million).[1]

Afghanistan also received in-kind assistance from Belgium valued at €450,000 ($598,365) to support its clearance operations.[2]

Of the total contribution, 92% went toward clearance activities, 6% was for victim assistance, and the remainder went to capacity-building and unearmarked activities.

Victim assistance is integrated within the broader coordination mechanisms of the disability sector.[3] Consequently, overall funding to victim assistance is under-reported. In 2014, victim assistance funding totaled $2.8 million and came from three donors: Sweden ($1.6 million), Germany ($664,850), and Italy ($664,850).

The Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan (MAPA) is largely funded through international assistance, although in the past the government of Afghanistan has reported contributing to some specific projects. For instance, in 2013, the government of Afghanistan contributed $2.6 million for clearance of Aynak copper mine.[4] No information on any national contribution was available for 2014.

International contributions: 2014[5]

Donor

Sector

Amount
(national currency)

Amount
($)

US

Clearance

$22,450,000

22,450,000

Germany

Clearance and victim assistance

€3,294,718

4,380,987

Sweden

Clearance and victim assistance

SEK25,000,000

3,645,590

Netherlands

Clearance

€2,548,000

3,388,076

Japan

Clearance

¥343,820,906

3,251,569

United Kingdom

Clearance

£1,763,881

2,907,581

Denmark

Clearance

DKK15,000,000

2,671,368

Norway

Clearance

NOK14,000,000

2,223,316

Finland

Clearance and capacity-building

€1,525,000

2,027,793

Ireland

Clearance

€918,000

1,220,665

Italy

Victim assistance

€500,000

664,850

Belgium

Clearance

€240,000

319,128

Saudi Arabia

Clearance

$100,000

100,000

South Korea

Clearance

$49,900

49,900

Total

 

 

49,300,822

 

Since 2010, Afghanistan has received almost $400 million in international assistance for mine action. Over the past five years, a downward trend has been apparent with a continuous decline in international assistance that has dropped from $102 million in 2010 to less than $50 million in 2014.

In September 2015, MAPA noted that “[w]hile the APMBT work plan envisages a reduction in the funds required as the plan progresses, the funds received from donors in the past four years have decreased at a more rapid rate. If this trend continues, it is unlikely that Afghanistan will meet its 2023 deadline under the MBT [Mine Ban Treaty].”[6] In order to cope with the recent fall in international assistance, the Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan (MACCA) reported it has implemented new initiatives as part of its mobilization strategy, notably via the exchange of experience and the provision of trainings. In line with these efforts, the United Arab Emirates provided mine/explosive remnants of war training at its training centre in Kabul, which benefited 8,622 Mullah Imams from 18 provinces between April 2014 and March 2015.[7]

Summary of contributions: 2010–2014[8]

Year

Amount
($)

% change from previous year ($)

2014

49,300,822

-27

2013

67,518,053

-25

2012

90,585,225

-8

2011

98,733,969

-4

2010

102,552,749

-4

Total

408,690,818

N/A

Note: N/A = not applicable



[1] Belgium Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, May 2015; response to Monitor questionnaire by Niels Peter Berg, Head of Section, Stabilization and Security Policy, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2015; response to Monitor questionnaire by Anna Merrifield, Desk Officer, Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2015; Germany Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 16 March 2015; Ireland Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, June 2015; email from Owen Blackburn, Humanitarian Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Irish Aid, 5 June 2015; Italy Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2015; Japan Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2015; response to Monitor questionnaire by Simone van der Post, Policy Officer, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2015; response to Monitor questionnaire by Ingrid Schoyen, Senior Adviser, Section for Humanitarian Affairs, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 18 May 2015; UNMAS Annual Report 2014, September 2015, p. 22; Sweden Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 28 April 2015; response to Monitor questionnaire by Laura Callaghan-Pace, Policy Analyst, Department for International Development, 1 May 2015; and US Department of State, Congressional Budget Justification: Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs FY 2016, Appendix 2–3, 2 February 2015, pp. 669–674.

[2] Belgium Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, May 2015. Average exchange rate for 2014: €1=US$1.3297. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January 2015.

[4] MACCA “Fast Facts: Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan,” December 2013.

[5] Average exchange rate for 2014: DKK5.6151=US$1; €1=US$1.3297; ¥105.74=US$1; NOK6.2969=US$1; £1=US$1.6484; SEK6.8576=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January 2015.

[6] MAPA, Annual Report 1393, September 2015, p. 40.

[7] Ibid., pp. 18 and 40.

[8] See previous Monitor reports.