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Mine Action and Cluster Munitions Programme 2025-2030

The Netherlands sustains its support for a world free of the threat of mines and explosive remnants of war. Even years after the end of armed conflict, landmines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war pose a great physical and mental safety threat to people. Furthermore, the presence of landmines often forms a major obstruction for stability, reconstruction and inclusive social-economic development in already fragile contexts.

Working towards a mine free world

Many countries have stopped using and producing landmines, but 58 countries still face problems with land mines or other explosive remnants of war. Around 16 people every day were killed on 2023 or injured by land mines. The vast majority of the victims—84 percent—are civilians, with 3 out of 10 children. After a decline from 2020, unfortunately, the increased use of (improvised) land mines has caused a rise in casualties, for a large extent because of the situation in Ukraine.

The Dutch Programme aims to enlarge the physical security of people as well as their ability to use their land free of fear to lose a limb or their lives or loved ones. To clear land from mines and other explosives has a significant impact on livelihoods. It enables people to use their land, grow crops, sell them on the market and use this income to send their children to school. It also contributes to the safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes after conflict.

Funding for Mine Action 2025 - 2030

The Mine Action and Cluster Munitions Programme 2025-2030 (MACM III) runs from June 2025 until May 2030. Through the programme, mine action organisations receive a total of EUR 78.750.000 in funding, with projects being delivered across eight countries:

  • Iraq;
  • Lebanon;
  • Libya;
  • Somalia;
  • South Sudan;
  • Syria;
  • Ukraine;
  • Yemen.

The following activities are funded under this grant:

  • surveys to map contamination;
  • clearing mines and other explosives remnants of war;
  • destroying stockpiles;
  • educating people on the risks of mines and unexploded ordnance in their surroundings;
  • providing assistance to mine victims, including rehabilitation, reintegration and psychosocial assistance;
  • strengthening the capacity of local NGOs including the development of local expertise and institutional structures;
  • the triple nexus of Humanitarian-Development-Peace through crop sowing on released farmland and contributing to rehabilitation of infrastructure;
  • strengthening the capacity of national mine action authorities.

In addition to our multi-annual funding, EUR 4.000.000 is reserved for partners as contingency funding, which can be used to fund activities at the Minister’s request.

Support elimination anti-personnel mines

The Netherlands is signatory to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), also known as the Ottawa treaty. APMBC aims at eliminating anti-personnel mines around the world. In November 2024 the Netherlands participated in the Fifth Review Conference of the APMBC in Cambodia with in total 164 State Parties reconfirmed their strong commitment to put an end to the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines.

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