Lao PDR
Support for Mine Action
In 2014, 14 donors contributed US$37.3 million to support mine action in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), compared to 11 donors and $34.8 million in 2013.[1]
The United States (US) and Japan together provided 64% of all international funding in 2014. Of the $37.3 million, more than half went toward clearance activities with $19 million provided, $2.6 million went toward victim assistance (7% of total funding), and some $300,000 million supported risk education (1%).
In 2015, the US announced it would contribute to two new victim assistance three-year projects totaling $6.5 million through the Leahy War Victims Fund to World Education and the Cooperative Orthotic Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE).[2]
In 2014, the government of Lao PDR reported a contribution of $1,067,922 to its own mine action program, mainly to cover rent and operations expenses.[3]
International contributions: 2014[4]
|
Donor |
Sector |
Amount (national currency) |
Amount ($) |
|
US |
Various |
12,000,000 |
12,000,000 |
|
Japan |
Various |
¥1,170,628,718 |
11,070,822 |
|
Norway |
Clearance |
NOK17,923,000 |
2,846,321 |
|
Netherlands |
Victim assistance |
€1,560,000 |
2,074,332 |
|
UK |
Clearance and risk education |
£1,040,977 |
1,715,946 |
|
New Zealand |
Clearance |
NZ$1,911,378 |
1,588,929 |
|
Switzerland |
Clearance |
CHF1,300,550 |
1,421,832 |
|
European Union |
Various |
€818,211 |
1,087,975 |
|
Canada |
Capacity-building and victim assistance |
C$1,160,632 |
1,051,012 |
|
Luxembourg |
Clearance and risk education |
€551,523 |
733,360 |
|
Ireland |
Clearance |
€500,000 |
664,850 |
|
Australia |
Clearance |
A$600,000 |
542,040 |
|
Germany |
Clearance |
€291,433 |
387,518 |
|
Belgium |
Clearance |
€50,000 |
66,485 |
|
Total |
|
|
37,251,422 |
With more than $155 million received from 2010–2014, international contributions to Lao PDR have averaged about $31 million per year, which is nearly three-times as much as during the previous five-year period 2005–2009, when donors provided $56.6 million (an average of $11.3 million per year).
Summary of international contributions: 2010–2014[5]
|
Year |
Amount ($) |
% change from previous year ($) |
|
2014 |
37,251,422 |
7 |
|
2013 |
34,827,039 |
-16 |
|
2012 |
41,216,481 |
91 |
|
2011 |
21,574,935 |
4 |
|
2010 |
20,800,862 |
89 |
|
Total |
155,670,739 |
N/A |
Note: N/A = not applicable
[1] Australia Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Protocol II Annual Report, 27 March 2015; Belgium Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, May 2015; Canada Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2014; email from Jérôme Legrand, Policy Officer, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Conventional Weapons and Space Division (K1), European External Action Service (EEAS), 11 June 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; Japan Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2015; responses to Monitor questionnaire by Robert Steinmetz, Expert in Disarmament and Non Proliferation, Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 19 May 2015; and by Simone van der Post, Policy Officer, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2015; New Zealand Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, May 2015; response to Monitor questionnaire by Ingrid Schoyen, Senior Adviser, Section for humanitarian affairs, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 18 May 2015; Switzerland Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 29 April 2015; response to Monitor questionnaire by Laura Callaghan-Pace, Policy Analyst, Department for International Development, United Kingdom, 1 May 2015; and USAID, “United States provided assistance to people with disabilities in Laos,” 9 January 2015.
[2] USAID, “United States provided assistance to people with disabilities in Laos,” 9 January 2015.
[3] Lao PDR Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, April 2015.
[4] Average exchange rate for 2014: A$1=US$0.9034; C$1.1043=US$1; €1=US$1.3297; ¥105.74=US$1; NOK6.2969=US$1; £1=US$1.6484; CHF0.9147=US$1; NZ$1=US$0.8313. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January 2015.
[5] See previous Monitor profiles.