Since 2017 my Department has spent over £49million on programmes that reduce the impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). As set out in the UK’s policy document on mine action, this includes abandoned improvised explosive devices.

My Department measures the impact of mine action programmes by the amount of land released and available for productive use, rather than the number of devices removed, and through the number of beneficiaries of mine risk education. Programmes deliver life-saving mine risk education sessions to ensure communities living in some of the most heavily contaminated places in the world understand the dangers of landmines and ERW. Since 2017, we have supported over 17,000 mine risk education sessions benefitting nearly 400,000 boys, girls, men and women.

The mine action programme releases land in some of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world, ensuring communities can to return to their homes, travel safely to school and work, and farm their own land. In Iraq the removal of mines and improvised devices is enabling the return of displaced people to areas liberated from Daesh, where civilians are returning voluntarily to find their homes and public facilities significantly contaminated by abandoned improvised explosive devices.

The UK also supports national mine action authorities to manage their clearance of their own contamination more efficiently including training staff on quality assurance techniques and improving national mine action databases to make the most effective use of resources and ensure the most vulnerable communities have their land cleared.

The DFID Global Mine Action Programme tackles the threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in 14 of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world, including those contaminated by abandoned improvised explosive devices. As set out in the UK’s policy document on mine action, ERW includes abandoned improvised explosive devices.

DFID provides support to demining in Syria, including in areas liberated from Daesh. This activity includes survey, mine clearance and the provision of mine risk education to the local population. This forms part of the £100 million spent across DFID’s Global Mine Action Programme, which overall tackles the threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in developing countries. As set out in the UK’s policy document on mine action, ERW includes abandoned improvised explosive devices.

In Al-Raqqa, DFID has stepped up its role in meeting the needs of those affected by Daesh occupation since its liberation in 2017. This assistance includes support to demining activity, assisting survivors of Gender-Based Violence and providing emergency supplies such as food and cash. Further activity by our partners has provided child immunisation in areas neglected during Daesh occupation, nutritional supplements for children and pregnant women, and supporting primary health centres, trauma care and mental health work.

The UK is committed to mine action. In April 2017 DFID committed £100million to clear at least 150km² of land in some of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world recovering from recent conflicts, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and South Sudan.

Between October 2017 and October 2018 the Department for International Development spent £45,308,302 on programmes that reduce the humanitarian impact of landmines and improvised explosive devices (ERW). These programmes survey and clear land contaminated by landmines and ERW; provide mine risk education sessions to help communities understand the dangers of landmines and ERW; and support national mine action authorities to manage contamination effectively and efficiently.