Grant wins for HALO in South East Asia

August 29, 2014


We are pleased to announce two new grants for clearance of landmines and explosive remnants of war in Cambodia and Laos from the State Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA).

In Cambodia, the $1.5 million project will fund 28 clearance teams totalling over 270 Cambodian men and women to remove mines and other explosives that pose a threat to rural communities in the Northwestern provinces of Battambang, Pailin, Otdar Meanchey and Banteay Meanchey. HALO’s Regional Desk Officer comments “This grant, based around cost efficient and correctly prioritized clearance, will benefit over 80,000 people living in some of the most mine-affected communities in Cambodia”.

In Laos, the $1.5 million project will fund 13 Clearance and multi-disciplinary Survey, Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Risk Education teams to expand operations in Savannakhet Province, which is one of the most heavily ERW contaminated provinces in Laos. HALO comments that “The PM/WRA funded teams will identify the cluster munition threat through evidence based survey thereby enabling efficient and correctly prioritized clearance”.

The projects in Cambodia and Laos will run over a one year period and conclude with a post-clearance impact assessment. This allows us to evaluate how the projects have contributed to increased security and enhanced livelihoods in these communities.

Thank you to the U.S. Government for their generous support and firm commitment towards a mine-free South East Asia. Together we are protecting potential victims and returning safe land for agriculture and development. The U.S. Government is the leading donor to humanitarian demining and conventional weapons destruction worldwide and currently supports HALO projects in 11 countries.