An enormous number of mines have been deployed worldwide: somewhere in the region of 100 million mines in more than 80 countries, first and foremost former war-torn areas and developing countries. According to the UN, Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, Croatia, Eritrea, Iraq, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Somalia and Sudan are the countries most affected by mines, and account for almost 50 per cent of the landmines currently deployed worldwide. These countries also have the highest number of victims of landmines.

One million square kilometres of land, equivalent to one ninth of the land area of the USA or all of Scandinavia, are currently mined and therefore unusable for cultivation. According to the Landmine Monitor Report 2004, between 15,000 and 20,000 persons a year, or almost 50 persons a day, lose their lives as a result of stepping on a mine. Many more are injured.

Despite these figures, demining is not a matter of course. The reasons behind the choice of areas to be demined and the rate at which this happens vary. Motives for demining can usually be broken down into three different types: humanitarian, commercial and military. The last of these does not concern Countermine and will not be discussed further here.

The market is fragmented with a limited number of major actors. Technical development is allowing more cost-effective mechanical demining, which is simultaneously laying the foundations for consolidation. The majority of actors focusing on commercial stakeholders currently carry out manual demining. There are also a large number of actors whose activities are based on training local communities in manual demining, a strategy employed primarily by major commercial actors such as the US company Ronco.

Humanitarian demining

This is very important from a socioeconomic perspective as mined land constitutes a serious obstacle to day-to-day life for the local population. Humanitarian demining on a more decisive scale is a relatively new phenomenon, originating in Afghanistan and Kuwait. The mines have generally not been surveyed, as a result of which all affected areas have to be cleared in order to ensure complete demining. Humanitarian demining therefore often involves extensive work.

Commercial demining

In general, priority is given to mined areas that are suitable for commercial use after demining. A commercial agreement based on financial priorities and cost estimates for the project is drawn up between the principal and the service provider. Commercial demining usually exploits a higher technical standard of equipment than humanitarian demining, as the industrial effectiveness and cost awareness criteria are generally more rigorous.

Clients are primarily multinational contractors, oil- and mineral-prospecting companies, and food companies, but also include public authorities and other organisations wanting to carry out projects obstructed by minefields.

Clearing unexploded ordnance (UXO)

According to SIDA, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the problem of unexploded ordnance is often equal to or greater than the specific problem of landmines, and in a way which is unique to each country or area.

The term ‘unexploded ordnance’ (UXO) covers both unexploded ordnance and explosive remnants of war (ERW), for example unexploded grenades, rockets or bombs. According to SWEDEC, the Swedish EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) and Demining Centre, areas typical of UXO are often more difficult to identify than those typical of mines, mainly due to the way in which it is dispersed. For example, aerial and artillery attacks which reach a large number of targets at a long distance mean that UXO may be present in areas far from the actual combat zones. Moreover, it is not unusual for large quantities of military equipment and ordnance to be abandoned by units that have been disbanded or withdrawn from conflict areas.

The areas where UXO is most commonly found are:

• areas used for military exercises,
• areas which have been subject to military attacks,
• areas adjacent to military installations,
• areas where military materiel has been abandoned, and
• areas with derelict combat vehicles.

Countermine has expertise in and experience of demining assignments involving UXO. Demand in this area is potentially high, particularly given that the value of the areas of land affected has risen over time.

Sweden alone has military artillery ranges covering several thousand square kilometres, often situated close to built-up areas, where former military areas are of increasing interest for residential and business purposes.