To Walk the Earth in Safety report showcases U.S. global leadership in landmine clearance and conventional weapons destruction

SUMMARY: On April 5, 2021, the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs releases the 20th Edition of its annual To Walk the Earth in Safety report. This report underscores the accomplishments of the U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) program in 2020. CWD programs allow the United States to help partner countries manage their stockpiles of munitions, destroy excess small arms and light weapons (SA/LW), and clear explosive hazards such as landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and unexploded ordnance (UXO). Our assistance also helps countries destroy illicitly held or poorly secured man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). Through the CWD program, the U.S. government has collaborated with partner nations and international organizations to destroy more than 39,000 excess or poorly secured MANPADS that, if improperly safeguarded, could pose a serious threat to global civil aviation.