The 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) is under pressure like never before in its 28-year history. A surge in serious treaty violations, the exit of previously reliable signatories, escalating use of improvised mines by armed groups, and collapsing global funding are creating a perfect storm of threats.
The deepening crisis is highlighted in the Mine Action Review's 'Clearing the Mines 2025' report, published today by a group of charities. The stark findings underscore the imperative for sustained political engagement and boosted funding at a time when 61 active armed conflicts still rage across the world.
However, despite a significant drop in global AP mine clearance rates in 2024 of just over one quarter on the previous year's figures, UK-based HALO Trust a cleared a total of 42,976 devices, representing 33% of the global total.
James Cowan, CEO of The HALO Trust said: "I am deeply proud of the leadership and impact that HALO has demonstrated, against all odds, in an unforgiving funding landscape and in the face of nation states threatening to abandon the Ottawa Treaty. We also applaud the case of Oman for hitting its 2024 clearance targets, becoming the 33rd state cleared of AP mines since 1997 – a major milestone in the fight against landmines.
"However, this report sounds a resounding alarm bell that cannot be ignored: the dangers of unexploded indiscriminate weapons are a ticking nightmare in a world spiralling into conflict. With 57 countries still littered with AP mines, recovery from war, safety for the displaced and peace for communities is impossible while explosives lie silently in wait beneath the surface. Until they are gone, millions of innocent civilians remain trapped in fear, their daily lives overshadowed by constant danger."
This year, six countries – Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland – have declared their intention to quit the APMBC, believing that deploying large numbers of antipersonnel (AP) mines on their own territory will deter or slow Russian aggression. Their exits coincide with unprecedented cuts to humanitarian mine action support as defence budgets rise at the expense of overseas humanitarian aid.
The growing global mine action funding gap also fails to account for the immense contamination likely in Gaza, where AP mines, booby traps and victim-operated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are rife. HALO estimates that a large-scale EOD response at £60m per year until 2031 is needed to support 100 bomb disposal experts to clear the bulk of contamination within five years.
"With the vast majority of buildings and vital infrastructure severely damaged or completely turned to dust, and entire residential neighbourhoods now strewn with explosives including AP mines, Gaza has essentially been turned into a wasteland," Cowan continues.
"The explosive legacy of war continues to maim and kill civilians long after the guns fall silent or a ceasefire is called. From Gaza and Afghanistan to Syria and Iraq, clearing this deadly legacy is a moral imperative."
With 57 countries massively contaminated with AP mines, including Ukraine which is still locked in live warfare with neighbouring Russia, charities like HALO and MAG are deploying new technology to tackle shortfalls in funding and speed up the rate at which land can be made safe for civilians.
"We evolve and adapt by investing in new technology, from drones and AI to mechanised clearance. Initial trials of next-generation magnetic resonance detectors in Angola, for example, indicate at least 30 per cent faster clearance rates compared to traditional methods. Combining our proven expertise with innovation, means we can save lives and help communities rebuild, no matter how the threats change," Cowan adds.
The report also covers the amount of land contaminated by victim operated improvised explosive devices in 2024, with significant numbers laid by non-state armed groups in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Yemen.
About HALO
- The HALO Trust is the world's largest humanitarian landmine clearance organisation.
- HALO works in 30+ countries including Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Colombia, Angola and Sri Lanka.
- We deploy groundbreaking technology in conflict and post-conflict settings to help people rebuild their homes, restore their livelihoods and keep their children safe.
- HALO also runs programmes in weapons and ammunition management and safety training. During emergencies, we also provide humanitarian aid and logistical support.
- HALO was founded in 1988 in Afghanistan.
- We employ 9,000 staff worldwide and recruit 95% of them locally.
