On 4 April, the world celebrates the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
Mine clearance is a matter of physical, food and economic security for Ukraine. Many actors are involved in its solution – experts from national and international mine action operators, state emergency response services, as well as ministries involved in the management and coordination of mine action. Donors are an important part of the mine action community – partners who provide not only financial support for mine action, but also facilitate the attraction of the best technologies, practices and specialists in this area to Ukraine. Ensuring effective cooperation with donors, communicating Ukraine’s mine action strategy to the international community, and coordinating joint work is one of the areas of work of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s international partners have allocated more than USD 700 million in equivalent for humanitarian demining projects in 2022-2027. Key donors include the United States, Switzerland, Norway, EU countries, Japan, the Netherlands, Germany and others.
Through joint work, it is possible to return land to productive use, protect the population from the effects of explosive hazards and strengthen the mine action system in Ukraine. These are the key objectives of the National Mine Action Strategy, which is one example of joint work between the Government of Ukraine, leading experts in the field, as well as donors and international partners of Ukraine.
The Government will further strengthen coordination of mine action with the international and professional community. Such coordination will be carried out both through the Sectoral Working Group, which was launched in 2023 and brings together all Ukraine’s donors in this area, and through the Mine Action Cluster, which was re-established in March 2024 and serves as a platform for programme coordination of relevant actors.
Since the start of the large-scale invasion, 656 mine-related accidents have occurred. The explosions killed 296 civilians and injured 665 others.