Afghanistan
Support for Mine Action
In 2015, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan received US$52.6 million from 17 donor governments, an increase of 7% compared to 2014.[1]
The United States (US) provided the largest contribution with $22.7 million, which represents some 43% of the total international mine action assistance in Afghanistan for 2015. Four other donors contributed more than $3.5 million each: the United Kingdom (UK) ($5.9 million), Germany ($3.8 million), the Netherlands ($3.7 million), and Canada ($3.5 million).
Of the total contribution, 86% ($45.2 million) went toward clearance and risk education activities, 6% ($2.9 million) was for victim assistance, and the remainder ($4.5 million) went to other mine action activities that were not disaggregated by sector.
Victim assistance is integrated within the broader coordination mechanisms of the disability sector.[2] Consequently, overall funding to victim assistance is under-reported. In 2015, victim assistance funding totaled $2.9 million and came from three donors: Germany ($1.3 million), France ($1.1 million), and Italy ($500,000).
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 2015 the government of Afghanistan contributed $1.5 million for clearance operations in Logar Province, while in 2013, Afghanistan contributed $2.6 million for clearance of the Aynak copper mine.[3] No information on any national contribution was available for 2014.
International contributions: 2015[4]
Donor |
Sector |
Amount (national currency) |
Amount ($) |
US |
Clearance and risk education |
$22,700,000 |
22,700,000 |
UK |
Clearance and risk education |
£3,842,822 |
5,873,369 |
Germany |
Clearance and victim assistance |
€3,450,000 |
3,828,120 |
Netherlands |
Various |
€3,300,000 |
3,661,680 |
Canada |
Clearance |
C$4,490,321 |
3,510,532 |
Japan |
Clearance and risk education |
¥390,142,818 |
3,222,989 |
Sweden |
Clearance |
SEK20,000,000 |
2,371,073 |
Finland |
Clearance |
€1,425,000 |
1,581,180 |
Denmark |
Clearance |
DKK9,000,000 |
1,338,031 |
Norway |
Clearance |
NOK10,000,000 |
1,239,449 |
France |
Victim assistance |
€1,000,000 |
1,109,600 |
Ireland |
Clearance and risk education |
€950,000 |
1,054,120 |
Italy |
Victim assistance |
€500,000 |
554,800 |
Switzerland |
Risk education |
CHF500,000 |
519,319 |
South Korea |
Various |
N/A |
39,900 |
Belgium |
Clearance |
€10,000 |
11,096 |
Lithuania |
Various |
€3,154 |
3,500 |
Total |
|
|
52,618,758 |
Since 2011, Afghanistan has received more than $350 million in international assistance for mine action. Between 2010–2014, a downward trend had been apparent with a continuous decline in international assistance that has dropped from $102 million in 2010 to less than $50 million in 2014.
In September 2015, MAPA noted that “While the APMBT [Mine Ban Treaty] work plan envisages a reduction in the funds required as the plan progresses, the funds received from donors in the past four years have decreased at a more rapid rate. If this trend continues, it is unlikely that Afghanistan will meet its 2023 deadline under the MBT [Mine Ban Treaty].”[5] In order to cope with the recent fall in international assistance, the Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan (MACCA) reported it has implemented new initiatives as part of its mobilization strategy, notably via the exchange of experience and the provision of trainings. In line with these efforts, the United Arab Emirates provided mine/explosive remnants of war training at its training center in Kabul, which benefited 8,622 Mullah Imams from 18 provinces between April 2014 and March 2015.[6]
Summary of contributions: 2011–2015[7]
Year |
Amount ($) |
% change from previous year ($) |
2015 |
52,618,758 |
+7 |
2014 |
49,300,822 |
-27 |
2013 |
67,518,053 |
-25 |
2012 |
90,585,225 |
-8 |
2011 |
98,733,969 |
-4 |
Total |
358,756,827 |
|
[1] Belgium, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 24 March 2016; Canada, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 17 March 2016; Germany, Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 4 April 2016; Ireland, Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Amended Protocol II Annual Report, Form E and Annex 1, 31 March 2016; Italy, Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, May 2016; Japan, Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, April 2016; Netherlands, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, April 2016; Sweden, CCW Amended Protocol II Annual Report, Form E, 29 March 2016; Switzerland, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 28 April 2016; United Kingdom, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 29 April 2016; response to Monitor questionnaire by Niels Peter Berg, Head of Section, Denmark Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2016; emails from Ingrid Schoyen, Senior Adviser, Section for Humanitarian Affairs, Norway Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 24 May 2016; and from Katherine Baker, Foreign Affairs Officer, Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State, 12 September 2016; “Aid for humanitarian mine action in 2015,” Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 29 October 2015; Agence Française de Développement, “L'AFD soutient 14 nouveaux projets d'OSC françaises pour un montant de 15,4 millions d'euros,” Press Release, 17 June 2014; and UNMAS Annual Report 2015, March 2016, p. 33.
[2] ICBL-CMC, “Country Profile: Afghanistan: Casualties and Victim Assistance,” 21 October 2011.
[3] MACCA, MAPA Annual Report 1394, September 2016, pp. 40–41; and MACCA “Fast Facts: Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan,” December 2013.
[4] Average exchange rate for 2015: C$1.2791=US$1; DKK6.7263=US$1; €1=US$1.31096; ¥121.05=US$1; NOK8.4350=US$1; £1=US$1.5284; SEK8.4350=US$1; CHF0.9628=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 4 January 2016.
[5] MAPA, “Annual Report 1393,” September 2015, p. 40.
[6] Ibid., pp. 18 and 40.
[7] See previous Monitor reports.