U.S. Department of State

Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
Washington, DC

($ in thousands)

NADR-HD Funds are administered by the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.

The Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs (NADR) account supports a broad range of U.S. national interests by funding critical, security-related programs. NADR programs serve as an important tool for working with foreign nations to reduce transnational threats to America's security, as well as to mitigate local threats that cause regional instabilities and humanitarian tragedies. The NADR account supports U.S. efforts in four areas: nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, regional stability, and humanitarian assistance.

The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program seeks to relieve human suffering caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) while promoting U.S. foreign policy interests. Program objectives are designed to protect victims of conflict and promote regional stability by reducing civilian casualties, creating conditions for the safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes, and restoring access to land and infrastructure. The U.S. furthers these objectives by supporting mine action projects and by helping to develop indigenous mine action capabilities in mine-affected nations.

The FY 2007 request for $64,300,000 in humanitarian demining and $10,000,000 in International Trust Fund (ITF) demonstrates a continued U.S. commitment to foster a world that is safe from the impacts of landmines. The U.S. has contributed more than $1 billion from Department of State, Department of Defense and U.S. Agency for International Development sources to support mine action efforts in over forty countries. Besides contributing to a global reduction in landmine casualties from over 26,000 in 2000 to under 10,000 this year, programs supported by these funds have returned thousands of hectares of land to productive use, rehabilitated vital infrastructure such as roads, wells and schools, as well as facilitated the safe return of millions of refugees. NADR Humanitarian Demining Program funding is being requested for 15 country programs and a variety of multi-national and crosscutting mine action initiatives. Funds will be provided to commercial firms, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations to support mine clearance operations, purchase detection, clearance equipment, facilitate training and/or provide mine risk education. An additional $10,000,000 in funds for mine action is being requested and justified under the NADR ITF section. All of these activities will be closely coordinated with NADR small arms light weapons (SA/LW) and conventional weapons destruction efforts to ensure the greatest possible synergy between the programs.
Action and Post-Conflict Security
The humanitarian demining program has achieved a number of performance results, including:

• Afghanistan: In 2005 State funded demining and clearance teams have cleared approximately 14,000,000 sq. meters of land and destroyed 200,000 explosive devices. Of special interest our EOD teams have additionally destroyed 82 man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) and 36,402 rockets.

  
  

• Azerbaijan: The robust USG assistance provided since FY 2000 has added much needed stability to the program and increased Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action ability to synchronize operations, expand capacity and ensure quality training and oversight. Between 2001 and 2004, 13.8 million square meters of land has been cleared. A national plan has been developed to eliminate the threat of landmines and UXO from all accessible areas of the country by 2008.

  
  

• Laos: With substantive U.S. assistance, Laos established the National Regulatory Agency in September 2004 to manage HMA. UXO Laos is actively expanding HMA operations and has developed a comprehensive strategic plan. U.S. assistance is focused on the development of a responsive and accountable mine action program and increased capacity. Laos cleared 8.8 million square meters (m2) of mines and UXO in 2003, 11.31 million square meters in 2004 and 9.16 million in the first half of 2005.

  
  

• Lebanon: The highly successful integration of mine detection dog teams, mechanical flails, and manual deminers have produced a greatly increased rate of mine and UXO clearance and a significant expansion in the amount of cleared land returned to productive use (2002: 145,600 m2; 2003; 331,845 m2). Beirut became mine-safe in June 2005. Lebanon is well on the way to achieving an indigenous HMA capacity by the end of FY 2009.

  
  

• Mozambique: By the end of 2005 there has been substantial progress towards fulfilling the Mozambican five years Mine Action Plan (2002-2006), which supports the Government's National Poverty Reduction Action Plan. Clearance of approximately 6.9 million m2 of land by government, commercial and NGO operators led to safe working and living environments for 136 villages. U.S. assistance to HALO Trust operations supports reaching impact-free in the four Northern provinces by 2007. Continued assistance to the U.S. military trained Armed Defense Force humanitarian demining cadre will sustain quality of skills and logistical resources. [Source: FY2007 Congressional Budget Justification]