United Kingdom
Support for Mine Action
In 2014, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) contributed £7,968,591 (US$13,135,425)[1] in mine action funding; this represents a decrease of more than 40% compared with 2013.
The UK provided most of its funding to seven affected countries through the UK-based NGOs Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and HALO Trust (£7,825,077/$12,898,857); the remaining of its contribution (£143,514/$236,568) went to the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) to conduct capacity-building activities.
The largest contributions in 2014 went to Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka, all receiving the equivalent of more than $2 million each and representing almost 60% of the UK’s total funding.
Contributions by recipient: 2014[2]
|
Recipient |
Sector |
Amount (£) |
Amount ($) |
|
Afghanistan |
Clearance |
1,763,881 |
2,907,581 |
|
Sri Lanka |
Clearance |
1,551,446 |
2,557,404 |
|
Cambodia |
Clearance |
1,286,713 |
2,121,018 |
|
Lao PDR |
Clearance |
1,040,977 |
1,715,946 |
|
Vietnam |
Clearance |
998,779 |
1,646,387 |
|
Mozambique |
Clearance |
948,281 |
1,563,147 |
|
Iraq |
Clearance |
235,000 |
387,374 |
|
Global |
Capacity-building |
143,514 |
236,568 |
|
Total |
7,968,591 |
13,135,425 |
In January 2013, the UK Department for International Development (DfID) commissioned an evaluation of its 2010–2013 Mine Action Strategy to examine whether the programs funded under the strategy were effective and sustainable and whether they delivered development benefits to mine-affected areas.[3] Among the key findings of the evaluation was that future mine action support should include a thorough gender-equality perspective and facilitate linkages with development and institutional sectors and actors.[4]
In November 2013, DfID published its new mine action policy, which aims at supporting clearance and risk reduction efforts in some of the poorest countries, strengthening and facilitating greater national ownership of mine action programs, and responding rapidly to mine action needs in humanitarian crises.[5] The UK considers that victim assistance “is best provided through broader social and economic development programmes in affected countries, rather than through targeting particular group,” which explains why DfID does not support programs that specifically target mine/ERW survivors.[6]
Since 2010, DfID has contributed at least £8 million ($13 million) per year for mine action.
Summary of contributions: 2010–2014[7]
|
Year |
Amount (£) |
Amount ($) |
% change from previous year ($) |
|
2014 |
7,968,591 |
13,135,425 |
-42 |
|
2013 |
14,574,446 |
22,797,349 |
4 |
|
2012 |
13,873,858 |
21,994,227 |
22 |
|
2011 |
11,208,567 |
17,981,904 |
10 |
|
2010 |
10,573,232 |
16,337,758 |
-9 |
|
Total |
58,198,694 |
92,246,663 |
N/A |
Note: N/A=not applicable
[1] Average exchange rate for 2014: £1=US$1.6484. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January 2015.
[2] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Laura Callaghan-Pace, Policy Analyst, Department for International Development, 1 May 2015.
[3] DfID, “Evaluation of Global Mine Action Programme (2011–2013),” 4 January 2013.
[4] WYG International, Evaluation Report, PO6119 Mine Action Evaluation, 18 June 2014.
[5] DfID, “Clearing a path to development: DfID mine action policy,” 22 November 2013.
[6] Ibid, p. 3.
[7] See previous Monitor reports.