Working Together for a Safer World
The U.S. State Department's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement is proud to join forces with private citizens and groups to reduce the threats posed by persistent landmines and illicit conventional weapons.
In many countries recovering from conflict, landmines and unexploded munitions keep families from returning home, children from their schools and playgrounds, and farmers from their fields. But over the last decade, the worldwide casualty rate from landmines and unexploded ordnance has dramatically decreased from a high of an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 casualties annually to approximately 4,000 annually over the last two years. The tide has turned thanks largely to the commitment and dedication of the United States and other donor governments, non-governmental organizations, and concerned citizens whose collective contributions have enabled the clearance of all types of explosive hazards, including anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines.
These abandoned weapons hinder economic development and undermine peace and stability around the world. So too does the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons, such as rocket-propelled grenades and shoulder-launched missiles, which fuel regional conflict and terrorist activity.
No government can solve these problems alone. That's why since 1998 the Department of State has joined forces with civil society and the private sector to apply new energy, ideas, and resources to help make the world safe from the impact of landmines and illicit conventional weapons.
To learn more about the program or to inquire about becoming a partner, please email us at dowleyka@state.gov or call (202) 663-0081.
