Demonstrating the value of humanitarian demining in Colombia

SUMMARY: The United States is the world’s leading donor for humanitarian demining, having contributed more than $4 billion globally to conventional weapons destruction efforts since 1993. This includes $228.5 million in 2020 alone provided to support programs in over 40 countries. Given the amount of funding involved, it is critical for the State Department to deliver results and demonstrate that American taxpayer resources are used wisely. The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs’ Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA), which leads U.S. humanitarian demining efforts, collects detailed data on these programs to clearly demonstrate results for money invested. In the past five years alone, U.S.-funded demining programs have cleared more than 1.4 million landmines and other explosive hazards while returning 376 square miles of land to civilian communities for safe and productive use – an area roughly equivalent to New York City and Baltimore combined. As impressive as statistics can be, however, the data only tells part of the story of U.S. humanitarian demining assistance. In Colombia, PM/WRA implementing partner The HALO Trust took a closer look at how this assistance is affecting communities and improving lives.