The 2024 Landmine Monitor reveals the continuing impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) on communities worldwide. Despite significant progress in mine clearance and victim assistance, landmines remain a persistent threat. In 2023 alone, 5,757 casualties were reported from landmines and ERW, with 3,331 injuries and 2,426 deaths. Civilians accounted for a staggering 84% of these casualties, with children comprising one-third of the victims.
The report, released ahead of the Fifth Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty in Cambodia, highlights global developments in mine clearance, risk education, victim assistance, and funding for mine action programs. APOPO is proud to be a part of these global efforts, bringing innovative methods such as trained mine detection animals to some of the most heavily impacted countries.
Below, we outline the Landmine Monitor’s findings for Angola, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe where APOPO is actively involved, alongside details of APOPO’s contributions.
Angola: Tackling a Legacy of Contamination
Findings from the Landmine Monitor:
- Extent of Contamination: As of the end of 2023, Angola reported 67.43km² of contaminated land across 936 areas in 16 provinces, with Cuando Cubango and Moxico being the most affected.
- Challenges: Angola’s annual land release has consistently fallen short of its projected target of 17km² per year, with 46.01km² remaining to be cleared beyond the 2025 deadline. Another extension request is anticipated.
- Victim Assistance: In 2024, the ‘Princesa Diana’ Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Center in Huambo tripled its production of prostheses, significantly aiding survivors.
APOPO has been a key partner in Angola’s mine action efforts, deploying our trained HeroRATs and manual demining teams to detect landmines. These animals provide a cost-effective, efficient solution for mine clearance in some of the most contaminated provinces, including Cuanza Sul, Cuando Cubango and Moxico. Thanks to generous support from the U.S. Government and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), APOPO is clearing minefields laid over four decades ago. As APOPO clears the debris left behind after conflict, which is painstaking work and takes time, we also provide Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) or mine risk education in the communities living near minefields.
Azerbaijan: Addressing a Complex Legacy
Findings from the Landmine Monitor:
- Contamination and Conflict: Areas retaken by Azerbaijan after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 2020 remain heavily contaminated, with 11,667km² impacted as of 2024.
- Mine Action Initiatives: The Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) has focused on demining essential infrastructure, access roads, and residential zones to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
At APOPO, we are proud to be working on Azerbaijan’s mine action efforts, addressing the need to clear landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), including in the heavily contaminated Nagorno-Karabakh region. In close partnership with the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), we focus on clearing high-priority areas such as access roads, residential zones, and agricultural lands. By working alongside ANAMA and local communities, our teams of deminers, animal handlers, and technical experts ensure efficient, safe mine clearance while helping to rebuild lives and livelihoods.
A unique aspect of our work in Azerbaijan is our deployment of both HeroDOGs and HeroRATs, which are expertly trained to detect explosives through scent. Our HeroDOGs excel in challenging terrain, while our HeroRATs cover large areas quickly and efficiently, making them an ideal combination to accelerate clearance efforts. Together, they help us clear contaminated land, enabling families to return home, farmers to reclaim their fields, and children to play safely. Through these innovative methods and strong collaboration with local partners, we are committed to helping Azerbaijan achieve its vision of a mine-free future.
Cambodia: A Leader in Mine Action
Findings from the Landmine Monitor:
- Current stats: As of the end of 2023, Cambodia reported 435.06km² of contaminated land, primarily along its border with Thailand.
- Progress made: Cambodia nearly doubled its landmine clearance output in 2023 compared to 2022, clearing more land than any other country that year.
- Extension of deadline: The country remains committed to meeting its Article 5 deadline by 2025 but plans to submit an extension request in 2025 due to challenges such as financial shortfalls, difficult terrain, and cooperation requirements with Thailand.
APOPO collaborates with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) and Mines Advisory Group (MAG) to clear landmines and explosive remnants of war in rural and heavily contaminated areas. By deploying trained HeroRATs and HeroDOGs, APOPO enhances detection and clearance efforts, with HeroRATs efficiently covering large areas and HeroDOGs bringing agility and precision to diverse terrains. This partnership focuses on restoring access to farmland, infrastructure, and livelihoods for affected communities.
Additionally, APOPO works alongside Humanity and Inclusion (HI) APOPO, focusing on transporting landmine victims from APOPO’s operational areas to places where they can receive treatment and ongoing assistance. This collaboration aims to provide comprehensive support to affected communities, combining APOPO’s demining expertise and mine risk education program with HI’s victim assistance programs.
Ukraine: A Growing Crisis
Findings from the Landmine Monitor:
- Impact of Conflict: Russia’s extensive use of landmines since 2022 has created severe contamination across vast areas, with at least 13 types of antipersonnel mines identified. Ukraine remains one of the most affected countries, with significant new contamination in de-occupied regions.
- Funding: Ukraine received $308.1 million in international mine action funding in 2023, the largest allocation globally.
APOPO is actively engaged in addressing the widespread contamination of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in Ukraine, a situation intensified by the recent conflict. Partnering with the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), we contribute to survey and clearance operations in areas heavily affected by landmine contamination. Our Technical Survey Dog (TSD) teams, trained to detect and mark hazardous areas, play a key role in facilitating efficient clearance and supporting the safe return of displaced populations.
A notable component of our program in Ukraine is the training of local women as TSD handlers. In 2024, twelve women from Sumy Oblast completed specialized training in Cambodia, with six continuing their work in Ukraine. This initiative, funded by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), enhances operational capacity while providing local expertise. Focused on high-priority regions such as Kharkiv and Mykolaiv Oblasts, our work aims to support Ukraine’s mine action efforts by improving safety and enabling community recovery.
Zimbabwe: Addressing Border Contamination
Findings from the Landmine Monitor:
- Extent of Contamination: As of December 2023, Zimbabwe reported approximately 16.16km² of confirmed hazardous areas (CHA), primarily located along its border with Mozambique. These areas pose ongoing risks to local communities and impede agricultural and economic activities.
- Progress and Challenges: Zimbabwe reduced its contaminated land by 2.14km² in 2023, but significant challenges remain, particularly in remote and densely mined regions. In June 2024, Zimbabwe acknowledged that meeting its December 2025 clearance deadline would be “unattainable” without further extensions.
- Future Plans: Zimbabwe has indicated its intention to request a two-year extension to its Article 5 deadline, shifting the goal to 2027, to allow time for comprehensive clearance and the safe release of all remaining contaminated areas.
APOPO has been actively involved in Zimbabwe’s demining efforts since January 2021, focusing on the Sengwe Wildlife Corridor—a critical passage connecting the Limpopo, Kruger, and Gonarezhou national parks. Our operations aim to clear landmines to enhance human safety, promote wildlife conservation, and open up opportunities for eco-tourism. By employing manual deminers equipped with metal detectors, we work diligently to detect and remove landmines, contributing to Zimbabwe’s goal of becoming landmine-free by 2025. However, acknowledging the challenges, we support the necessary extensions to ensure comprehensive clearance and the safety of all affected areas.
Looking Ahead
The 2024 Landmine Monitor highlights the critical importance of sustained mine action efforts. Alongside the global leaders that convened at the Fifth Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, APOPO remains focused on creating safer communities through innovative mine detection methods and community-focused approaches. By working with local and international partners, we aim to work towards a world free of landmines, restoring hope and opportunity to affected communities.
