The MAPA workforce totals around 8,000 people working to make Afghanistan free of mines and ERW by March 2023. In total 53 national and international humanitarian as well as commercial entities are delivering activities such as survey and mine clearance, M/ERW risk education, victim assistance, capacity building, advocacy, M&E and training. Out of these ATC, DAFA, DDG, HALO Trust, MCPA, MDC, and OMAR are the major clearance partners in Afghanistan.
Afghan Technical Consultants (ATC)
Vision
The principle objective of ATC is the elimination of mines and explosive remnants of war through the removal, destruction or neutralization of all explosive devices.
1- To enable the resumption of normal socio-economic activities.
2- To enable safe return of Afghan refugees and IDPs to their homes and land
3- To provide mine/ERW risk education to civilians in mine affected areas
About
Established in October 1989, ATC is the first UN-funded NGO for humanitarian demining in the world.
During the last 26 years ATC has developed in to a highly organized and effective NGO working in all areas of Afghanistan and providing job opportunity for thousands of people.
Current projects
Mine/ERW clearance project in Nangarhar and Panjsher provinces funded by the US Department of State is going on. Another contract was awarded to ATC by the Dragon Oil Company to implement the “Demining of Sanduqli Concession” project in the North. The latter has not started yet.
Main achievements
- Completion of over 8400 minefields and battle areas in 31 provinces of Afghanistan
- Establishing the first BAC, the first EOD and the first mechanical demining unit in Afghanistan
- Releasing of 359 million square meters of contaminated land
- Discovering and destroying 3,342,772 deadly devices consisting of 176,370 APM, 4,830 ATM and 3,061,572 items of ERW.
- Delivering mine/ERW risk education to over 190,000 women, men and children
- ATC was selected as “Lead Agency” in some of the most important demining projects implemented by the MAPA so far:
- Kabul International Airport
- Kabul-Jalalabad Highway
- Jalalabad-Kunar Road
- Kabul-Gardiz Road
- Lataband Bypass Road
- Zinda jan ammunition stock of 400 air-dropped bombs that was described as the world’s most dangerous museum
- Kabul- Hairatan power line; now transmits the electricity form Uzbekistan to Kabul
- The Kabul University and adjacent areas
- The power poles between Kabul city and Surobi Dam
- Gulbahar textile factory of Kapisa province,
- World Heritage Sites at Shahr-i-Gholghola, Shahr-i-Zohak and Buddha Statues in Bamyan Center.
Current challenges
Like most implementing partners of MAPA, ATC faces fund shortages and, consequently, staff turnover. Mine detection dogs, demining machines and experienced technical staff are waiting for job.
Website
Email address
atc.maa@atc-wlfhdngo.org.af
k.eblagh@yahoo.com
Phone number
0093(0)766 700079
0093(0)77 6012000
Danish Demining Group – Afghanistan (DDG)
Vision
To recreate a safe environment where people can live without the threat of landmines, unexploded ordnance and small arms and light weapons.
Mission
DDG Afghanistan delivers humanitarian mine action to save life, strengthen the sense of safety through risk education and help remove obstacles to the productive use of resources, realising Afghanistan’s development potential.
About
DDG started work in Afghanistan in 1999 in Kandahar Province, and since then has been continuously operational (Mine Clearance / Battle Area Clearance, EOD, MRE, and Survey) in various areas of the country. Since 2006 DDG has been integrated into the Danish Refugee Council as a specialized humanitarian mine action unit. DDG has more than 600 personal consisting of 41 Clearance Sections, 4 Survey/EOD, 4 MRE and 1 MDU teams working in central and north of Afghanistan.
Current projects
Currently, DDG has four projects (Danida, SIDA, USDoS and UNOPS) operating in the northern provinces of Balkh and Samangan, and the central provinces of Kabul, Parwan and Panjshir.
Main achievements
Since the start of operations in Afghanistan, DDG has removed over 24,000 anti-personnel landmines and over 940,000 pieces of UXO. DDG also undertakes comprehensive post-clearance impact monitoring on its operations, to gain a better understanding of the socio-economic improvements resulting from demining.
Current challenges
The topographical layout, accessibility to remote villages, extreme weather conditions, political, logistical and access challenges to operating in Afghan Darwaz are significant. All efforts were concentrated on setting up an operational base, recruiting deminers from the local community, and training them. By the 2nd quarter of 2012, continued survey work began to reveal the true picture of landmine and UXO-affected land. By 2013, survey and clearance operations reached a rhythm of high effectiveness.
Website
http://www.danishdemininggroup.dk/
Email address
Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD)
Vision
To establish a landmine/ ERW Free North Eastern Region Darwaz by eradicating the landmine and ERW risk that threatens and poses a direct threat to the population through NTS surveys, clearance operations, EOD Spot tasks and mine/ERW Risk Education.
Mission
FSD’s focus is on locating and destroying landmines and unexploded ordnance to prevent accidents. FSD’s overarching aim is to alleviate and diminish the social, economic and environmental impacts of landmines and unexploded ordnance, thus creating favorable conditions for the reconstruction and development of war-torn countries.
About
The Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) was formed in 1997. FSD is a humanitarian organization specializing in the removal of the hazardous remnants of war. FSD’s work is conducted for humanitarian purposes. FSD operates currently in seven countries worldwide.
FSD is a non-political, non-aligned, independent, non-government organization based in Geneva. FSD is a partner to WFP and ECHO, a registered service provider for UNOPS, and is a registered supporter of the code of conduct of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society.
Current projects
FSD Afghanistan is currently involved in minefield/ battlefield clearance operations in 2 of the 5 planned districts in Darwaz and the operations is additionally supported by effective Mine/ ERW Impact Free Community Survey (MEIFCS) operations.
Main achievements
FSD deployed to Afghan Darwaz in the third quarter of 2011. Due to the remoteness of the area and the political complexity of coordination between two governments, the set-up of the programme took longer than would be the case in average circumstances. This was expected and the project was established within the timeframe predicted.
In demining terms, FSD started operations from a blank space on the map. Survey work quickly established a higher level of contamination from mines, UXO and stockpiled ordnance than was expected. The number of mine victims was higher than anticipated. By mid-2012 to date, the operational picture began to emerge in respect of the high threat of large amounts of FSD identified surveyed and registered mine/battlefields that never existed before.
Current challenges
The topographical layout, accessibility to remote villages, extreme weather conditions, political, logistical and access challenges to operating in Afghan Darwaz are significant. All efforts were concentrated on setting up an operational base, recruiting deminers from the local community, and training them. By the 2nd quarter of 2012, continued survey work began to reveal the true picture of landmine and UXO-affected land. By 2013, survey and clearance operations reached a rhythm of high effectiveness.
Website
Email address
Phone number
+992987167404
The HALO Trust (HALO)
Vision
HALO introduced to the world the concept of humanitarian mine clearance in 1988 and has continued clearing mines in Afghanistan despite the fragile political situation bought on by the continuous conflict that has beleaguered the country since the late 1970s.
Mission
We have a simple mission statement – ‘getting mines out of the ground, now’. With more deminers and more equipment, we shall shorten the timeframe that villagers in Afghanistan are impacted by landmines.
About
On the 14 April 1988 The Geneva Accord was signed between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the Soviet Union and the USA acting as guarantors. A month later on 15th May 1988 the Soviet Forces started their withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the same week Guy Willoughby set up HALO in Kabul. Twenty-four years later, and without interruption despite political regime changes, HALO in Afghanistan has grown to over 3,000 staff – and has cleared over 780,000 mines from minefields and stockpiles, and over ten million items of ordnance. Since 1988 HALO has now expanded to over 8,000 full-time staff in 16 countries and territories, with on-going surveys into new regions.
Current projects
HALO Afghanistan runs a mixture of manual, mechanical, survey/EOD, battle area clearance (BAC) and weapon and ammunition disposal (WAD) teams. HALO’s current area of operations, is in sixteen provinces of the Northern and Central regions and in Herat Province in the west of the country. HALO also continues to be the largest implementing agency of the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan (MAPA).
Main achievements
Twenty-six years after founding HALO, we have reached some important milestones in Afghanistan that include:
- Over 780,000 landmines destroyed
- Over 10 million items of larger calibre ordnance destroyed
- Over 31,000 cluster munitions destroyed
- Over 49 million bullets destroyed
- Over 2,800 heavy weapon systems immobilized
- Over 52,000 small arms destroyed
- Over 4,700 minefields cleared
- Over 2,800 BAC tasks cleared
- Over 21,000 EOD/Callouts conducted
- 13,664 hectares (68,319 Jeireeb) made safe from landmines
- 95,188 hectares (475,940 Jeireeb) made safe from unexploded and abandoned ordnance
- 9,951 kilometres of roads cleared
These statistics, which may appear bland, are a testament to the dedication of our Afghan staff who continue to conduct one of the most inherently dangerous jobs on earth, and the generosity of our donors who understand that our work directly saves lives, and allows a return to normal rural livelihoods in one of the poorest countries in the world.
Current challenges
With the drawdown of ISAF forces, political uncertainty surrounding the 2014 presidential elections and reductions in foreign aid budgets means Afghanistan faces an uncertain future.
Donor funding of humanitarian mine action in Afghanistan has decreased over recent years and further reduction will severely hamper the impact of the mine action programme in the country.
It is HALO’s strong belief that only through maintaining an appropriate scale of clearance operations can Afghanistan’s mine problem be addressed so that casualties are avoided and the population is no longer impacted by the presence of explosive remnants of war.
It is HALO’s plan to seek to maintain, and where possible expand its current capacity in order to clear all high and medium priority tasks within its area of operations.
Website
www.halotrust.org/www.halousa.org
Email address
Phone number
+93707921788
Handicap International (HI)
Vision
Our vision is of a world where all people with disabilities can fully exercise their human rights.
Mission
HI is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.
About
HI was founded in 1982 and is co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace prize for its work on the Mine Ban Treaty. HI has programs in 60 countries and acts in emergency and development situations, supporting people with disabilities and working towards the elimination of preventable causes of disability.
HI worked with Afghan refugees in Pakistan since the mid-80s and has been present in Afghanistan since 1996. HI undertakes Mine Action projects mostly through Risk Education and Victim Assistance, in particular delivery of Physical Rehabilitation services, activities promoting Socio-Economic Inclusion and Disability Awareness raising in the Central, Western and Southern regions of Afghanistan.
Current projects
Physical Rehabilitation: Center based and Community Based Rehabilitation.
Promotion of socio-economic inclusion of Mine/ERW victims and other people with disabilities, directly and through partners.
Support to the professional institutions/ associations working in the field of disability.
Support to Disabled People/Survivors’ Organizations in their advocacy and awareness raising efforts.
Risk Education, disability awareness and early identification and referral to health services with the support of more than 1700 community volunteers.
Main achievements
In 2013, HI reached the following number of beneficiaries:
15,752 people benefited from direct rehabilitation services
66,023 people participated in Mine Risk Education sessions
Above hundred people with disabilities received support related to social inclusion (skills, employment, education, etc.)
Current challenges
Website
www.handicap-international.org
Email address
Phone number
+93 (0) 700 290 647
Vision
To improve the lives of Afghans by clearing landmines and ERW impacted areas
Mission
To contribute to humanitarian mine action and advocacy activities in Afghanistan in particular and worldwide in general, to make the land safe from the threat of landmines to enable, safe returns of refugees and displaced people to their homes for resumption of normal life and rehabilitation and economic developmental activities.
About
MCPA is an indigenous Afghanistan-based International Humanitarian Demining Organization, established under the auspices of the UNOCHA in March 1990, as an implementing partner of the UNMAPA in Pakistan. MCPA is registered as an NGO with the Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and its head office is located in Kabul Afghanistan. MCPA as a specialized and professional organization in the fields of all type of mine actions, technical, general and socio-economic surveys, mine clearance operation; MRE, capacity building, quality management, MIS and M&E.
Current projects
For FY 1393, its total assets is reaching to 50 and having the following projects
- Paktya Demining Project-09, MBT 160
- Parwan Demining Project-02, MBT 002
- Nangarhar Demining project-02, MBT 181
- MEIFCS 1393
- Cost extension S-PMWRA-13-GR-1021
Four first projects are funded by UNMAS/VTF, while the 5th –project is funded by USDoS.
Main achievements
- Developed, executed and implemented MIS since 1990-2007, pioneered in the field of Humanitarian demining
- Provided international support in the field of demining, such as the Republic of Yemen and Azerbyejan
- Implemented different types of mine actions and other surveys
- Cleared a total of 43,427,796 Sq. m mine and ERW impacted land
- Destroyed 11957 AP,743 AT and 38935 UXOs/ERWs
- Provided vocational trainings to 440 demining staff
Technically and professionally trained Afghans who are currently leading MAPA, representing UN and working at higher positions internationally.
Current challenges
The main challenge the organization has faced with in 1392 and 1393 is the fund issue, which has resulted in the loss of technical staff and professional capacity.
Website
Email address
hajiattiqullah@hotmail.com
Phone number
0093-700276006
Mine Detection Center (MDC)
Vision
Is to contribute towards the Afghan Mine Action Program’s vision (Make Afghanistan landmines and ERW impact free where communities and individuals can live in safe environment conducive to the national development).
Mission
To deliver quality/valued mine action services in accordance to the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS).
About
Mine Detection Center (MDC) was established as a Non-Governmental De-mining Afghan Organization with the financial support of USAID in 1989. MDC works under the coordination of MACCA and uses very efficient and effective mine action tools such as mine dogs, manual de-miners and mechanical demining units for mine/ERW clearance across Afghanistan. MDC is based on the principles of the political neutrality, good governance and recruiting multi ethnic workforce from different parts of the country. This policy has made MDC very successful to conduct operations in all over Afghanistan safely for more than two decades.
This organization is a multi-donor NGO and MDC is registered in the ministry of economic Government of Afghanistan and has been accredited and authorized for mine action activities by Mine Action Coordination Center for Afghanistan (MACCA).
Current projects
Grant #: S-PMWRA-13-GR-1018 Core Nangarhar Demining Project 2013-2014 (1392) will be extended to September 2014.
Grant #: S-PMWRA-13-GR-1011 sangin Hilmand Province-Nawzad and Sangin Districts
CB De-mining Project ) will be extended to September 2014.
Grant #: S-PMWRA-13-GR-1005 PM/WRA
Project Four (4)
Takhar Province ) will be extended to September 2014.
Mine and ERW Clearance Project in Central Region-Maidan-Wardak province of Afghanistan
پروزه مس عینک فیز سوم Copper mine Project to Nov 2014
Main achievements
MDC National Achievements:
Mine Detection Center (MDC) has implemented hundreds of priority humanitarian demining projects in Afghanistan and cleared and handed over for the productive use over 264,4 million square meters of hazardous areas located in almost all over Afghanistan as of 31st of December 2013. During the above mentioned clearance operations 591,471 different types of mines and ERW were detected and destroyed safely.
International Achievements:
Yemen Mine Action Program (YMAP) was technically assisted by MDC from 2001 to 2009. In 2001 a team of MDC experts with 19 mine detection dogs were sent to Yemen and during the mentioned period around 113 field personnel and 12 Management staff and 28 MDDs were trained. During the year of 2009 MDC experts’ team completed the training of a self-functional (Dog breeding, Dog Training and Deployment of dogs for demining activities almost over all Yemen) Mine Dog Unit’s (MDU) capacity within the YMAP.
MDC established the mine dog capacity in Tajikistan Mine Action Program (TMAP) in 2006. The Tajik trainees were invited to MDC Head Quarters in Kabul and qualified as dog handlers and command members of MDC capacity. The mine dogs were handed over to them and sent back to Tajikistan after the accreditation. The TMAP was assisted by MDC technical expertise till 2008.
Current challenges
Currently due to the shortage of the fund many of MDC teams has been layoff.
Website
mdc-afghan.org
Email address
mdc_afghan@hotmail.com, mdc_afghan@yahoo.com, mdcafghann@gmail.com
Phone number
+93 707 858 908 +93 780 065 472
Organization for Mine clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation (OMAR)
Vision
The vision of OMAR is free Afghanistan from the threat of mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), where the people live in a safe environment and develop their economy.
Mission
OMAR mission is to reduce the threat and impact of mines and ERW including cluster munitions, alert the villagers on dangers of mine/ERW in mine/ERW affected communities and assist Afghan National Security Forces.
About
OMAR mission is to reduce the threat and impact of mines and ERW including cluster munitions, alert the villagers on dangers of mine/ERW in mine/ERW affected communities and assist Afghan National Security Forces.
Current projects
Currently OMAR has the following projects:
1. OMAR core capacity project in Logar province funded by US DoS,
2. Parwan Panjsher demining project # 2 funded by US DoS,
3. Parwan Panjsher demining project # 5 funded by US DoS,
4. Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) project funded by US DoS in western, eastern, northern, southern and central area of Afghanistan.
Main achievements
• Clearance of more than 94 sqkm mine area,
• Clearance of more than 28 sqkm battle area,
• Clearance of Kabul international airport,
• Clearance of Herat to Girishk main road.
• Clearance of Pulikhomri to Kabul Power line,
• Clearance of Ghazni to Zabul secondary road,
• Clearance of Ghazni city for rehabilitation of Islamic historical and cultural center.
Current challenges
There are two major challenges for demining program in the country – first non-availability or reduction of fund for such a humanitarian program and second security is the other challenge for this program.
Website
Email address
Phone number
+93 799 322 129