Key findings from the Clearing the Mines 2024 report


As of today, 58 States and two territories remain contaminated with anti-personnel mines, and the need for focused and unwavering commitment to get all of them over the finish line by completing clearance is as important as ever.

In 2023, global mine clearance of 237 square kilometres was the highest ever recorded, with 192,563 AP mines destroyed during land release and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) spot tasks. While these are impressive numbers, it is important to note that only a handful of countries account for the majority of the clearance and that in more than a quarter of those with a landmine problem, no clearance is reported to have taken place in 2023.

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Source: Reliefweb


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