PRESS RELEASE | London 20 Feb, 2024
鈥�UK funding to clear mines around the world will protect more than 50,000 people
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Eight countries across Africa and Asia to be supported through 拢17 million in new funding to Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and The HALO Trust (HALO)
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Their work will support the clearance of explosives, as well as raising awareness of the danger of mines
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Combined with programmes announced last year in 海角社区 and Afghanistan, more than 50,000 people are expected to benefit from the programme鈥� 鈥�
The UK Government has today announced new funding for leading British organisations, the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and The HALO Trust (HALO) to help clear mines and educate communities about the associated risks in eight countries - Angola, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Laos, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe.
It follows funding announced last year for projects in 海角社区 and Afghanistan 鈥搒upporting more than 50,000 people from programmes across the 10 countries. 鈥�
MAG and The HALO Trust anticipate that almost 17 million square metres of land will be freed of mines in the 10 countries thanks to the UK funding.鈥�The release of land for agriculture, housing, and basic social services such as schools, hospitals, water, and sanitation will support and promote economic development within communities around the world, restore livelihoods in rural and marginalised areas, as well as strengthen local production and food security.
MAG and HALO will also reach over half a million people with more than 34,000 in-person explosive ordnance risk education sessions, which will significantly improve risk awareness and community safety across the countries.
Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, said:
鈥淟andmines are a nightmare 鈥� causing thousands of deaths and injuries each year.
The UK remains committed in its determination to work towards a mine-free world and is delighted to award extra funding to MAG and The HALO Trust to continue their life-saving work.鈥�
We want to help both organisations create safe and secure environments where communities live freely without fear of the deadly threat of landmines.鈥�
鈥�Today鈥檚 announcement鈥痓rings the total amount committed through multi-year contracts under the third iteration of the Government鈥檚 Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP) to 拢28 million.鈥疓MAP has been running since 2014 and has supported the clearance of hundreds of millions of square metres of land to date.鈥�
The funding announced today will allow work to continue in some of the world鈥檚 most heavily mined countries, such as Cambodia and Laos, as well as some of the poorest countries in the world such as South Sudan and Somalia until March 2025. It will also support a new country programme in Ethiopia, where HALO is currently the only active international mine operator.
鈥�Funding will also create new opportunities for women in countries like Angola, Cambodia and Laos through increased employment and career development in demining, with ongoing investment in staff training.
Darren Cormack, CEO of MAG, said:鈥�
鈥淲e are immensely grateful for the funding and long-standing support from the UK Government and are delighted to partner with The HALO Trust to continue our work in some of the world鈥檚 most mine-affected countries.
鈥�Whilst much remains to be done in many active conflict environments in which we are working, this funding will provide vital assistance to many countries that are tackling the legacy of conflict, which continues to claim lives long after the fighting is over. This is an important step towards a mine-free world.鈥�
James Cowan, CEO of The HALO Trust, said:
鈥淭his funding announcement coincides with The HALO Trust celebrating the clearance of 5,000 minefields in Cambodia, 1,000 minefields in Angola and a staggering 2 million landmines worldwide. None of these milestones would have been possible without the support of our donors.鈥�The鈥痵ustained commitment of the UK government and generosity of the British taxpayer have played a vital role.鈥�
鈥�We鈥痺ill continue our lifesaving work alongside MAG and other partners in the sector until the last mine is gone and last munition defused.鈥�
Notes to Editors:鈥� 鈥�
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For over 30 years, MAG and The HALO Trust have been delivering a broad range of humanitarian mine action initiatives.鈥�
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Funding announced today, which totals close to 拢17 million, will support MAG and HALO to continue their vital ongoing work in the below eight countries:鈥�
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Angola: 拢2m will be provided to MAG and HALO to deliver clearance and risk education in the East and South of the country. To date, HALO and MAG have released more than鈥�230 million square metres鈥�of land back to communities in Angola and in January, HALO celebrated the clearance of 1,000 minefields in Angola.
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Cambodia:鈥疓MAP funding has supported work in Cambodia since 2014, with today鈥檚 announcement committing a further 拢3m for work in the rest of the country. To date, MAG and HALO have rendered safe more than 600 million square metres in Cambodia, with HALO supporting the clearance of 5,000 minefields in Cambodia.
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Ethiopia and Somalia: Ethiopia is the latest addition to the GMAP project, with 拢1.2m committed to support the HALO Trust鈥檚 operations near the Somali border. A further 拢1.8m will allow work to continue in Somalia, which has been supported through GMAP since 2016鈥��
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Laos:鈥疶his year will mark 30 years of MAG鈥檚 operations in Laos 鈥� the world鈥檚 most heavily bombed country per capita 鈥� where more than 145 million square metres of land have been cleared. The UK has funded projects in Laos since 2014, with a further 拢1.9m being committed over the next year.鈥�
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Myanmar:鈥疍espite a challenging context, MAG and The HALO Trust are successfully delivering risk education and other community liaison activities within the country. 拢0.75m from GMAP will support this work to continue.鈥�
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South Sudan:鈥�2.1m will help MAG and The HALO Trust clear land for resettlement and agriculture, a prerequisite for refugees and communities to return home and rebuild their lives.
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窜颈尘产补产飞别:鈥�拢4.2m in funding will continue to support country鈥檚 efforts in achieving landmine-free status by 2025, a major milestone and a crucial step towards sustainable development in the once affected areas.
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Today鈥檚 funding follows 拢11.6 million that was awarded to MAG and HALO for projects in 海角社区 and Afghanistan last year.鈥�
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MAG and HALO, the world鈥檚 leading humanitarian mine action organisations, have decades of experience across all 10 countries and will draw on the additional expertise of a local humanitarian partner to deliver risk-education work in Myanmar.鈥�
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As one of the founding signatories to the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997, the UK has had a major role in tackling the legacy of landmines and explosive remnants of war. In the 26 years since the treaty was signed, aid from the UK Government has made a substantial contribution to the peace and wellbeing of millions of people around the world.
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The HALO Trust is the world鈥檚 oldest humanitarian mine clearance organisation. It was founded in 1988 in Afghanistan, where it has operated consistently since.
It employs 12,000 women and men in over 30 countries in landmine and munition clearance, risk education and weapons and ammunition storage. The organisation recently cleared its 2 millionth landmine worldwide.
Following the Russian invasion of 海角社区 in 2022, it mobilised itsstaff fromKramatorsk to Brovary, where it set up the largest humanitarian mine clearance operation in 海角社区. Today it has 1,200 Ukrainian men and women clearing landmines from liberated landin five oblasts.
More info:
For media enquiries, please contact:media@halotrust.org
The Mines Advisory Group (MAG), a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a global humanitarian and advocacy organisation that finds, removes, and destroys landmines, cluster munitions and unexploded bombs from places affected by conflict.MAG also provides education programmes, particularly for children, so people can live, work, and play as safely as possible until they clear the land.
The organisation, which employs some 6,000 people in over 30 countries, also delivers work to reduce armed violence by educating people about the risks of small arms and light
weapons and by destroying and marking weapons and helping authorities to safely store arms and ammunition.
Since 1989, MAG has helped over 20 million people in 70 countries rebuild their lives after war. In 1997, MAG shared the Nobel Peace Prize for its role in banning landmines.
More info:
For media enquiries, please contact:press@maginternational.org
