In 2020, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) contributed £25.2 million (US$32.3 million)[1] in mine action funding to 14 countries and global activities.

Four countries received the equivalent of more than $4million each—Angola, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Zimbabwe—and a combined total of $17 million, representing half of the UK’s total mine action funding.

As in previous years, the UK allocated most of its mine action support for clearance and risk education activities.

Contributions by recipient: 2020[2]

Mine action assistance approach

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.[3] 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.[4]

Phases 1 and 2 of the UK’s Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP) were launched in 2014 and 2018 respectively and run for four years each. In line with the 2013 policy, the programme has three major components: clearance, risk education, and capacity-building for national and regional mine action authorities.[5] Phase 3 of GMAP is expected to start in 2022 and will build on the same three activities.[6]

COVID-19 and mine action support

In line with the “proportionality principle,” the UK provided some broad guidelines to its implementing partners, such as ensuring staff safety, adjusting decisions to the local measures to address the pandemic, and maintaining planned activities wherever possible and appropriate. Salaries of demining staff would be guaranteed for up to three months, including under forced lockdown.[7]

However, in November 2020, the UK government announced that it would cut its foreign aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of its national income due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] The UK parliament endorsed this reduction in July 2021.[9] As a result, the allocation to mine action would be cut by half, with the mine action budget amounting to £17 million ($24 million) in 2021–2022.[10] In October 2021, media reports estimated that UK funding for mine clearance in 2022–2024 could be reduced by at least 75%—from approximately £100 million ($137 million) over three years to £25 million ($34 million) over the same period.[11] Six countries could no longer receive support as a result of the cuts: Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, South Sudan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. These cuts were to be reviewed by the newly appointed UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.[12]

Five-year support to mine action

In 2016–2020, the UK’s cumulative contribution to mine action totaled £164 million (approximately $213.8 million). In comparison, in the previous five-year period from 2011–2015, the UK’s support to mine action amounted to £57.8 million ($91.3 million).

In April 2017, the UK announced a £100 million ($126 million) aid package to support landmine clearance and risk education projects over the next three years, which represents a tripling in its contribution to mine action[13] compared to its 2014–2016 contribution of £36.4 million ($53.4 million). This new funding focused on countries “where the greatest numbers of people continue to suffer from landmine contamination…and where continued insecurity and instability pose an ongoing threat to UK interests.” The countries to benefit from this support were: Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe.[14] In September 2018, the UK announced the provision of an additional £46 million (some $58 million) towards projects for demining, risk education, and capacity development in Angola, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Vietnam.[15]

Summary of contributions: 2016–2020[16]

Note: N/A=not applicable.