Danish Demining Group has recovered and disposed of more than 1 million unexploded ordnances and 100.000 landmines in Afghanistan.

After 25 years of war, Afghanistan has become one of the countries most affected by landmines and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the world. Every month some 60 explosives accidents are registered in Afghanistan, whilst a large number of accidents are not registered at all. Some 66% of the reported accidents are caused by the unexploded ordnance, 50% of the victims die before they reach a hospital.

The origins of this misery derive from the Soviet occupation period, but the following civil war between the Afghan government and the Mujahedin movement, the wars between various warlords and the Taliban war have all contributed to the mine and UXO problem.

The Coalition war against terror with extensive bombing campaigns has only added to the existing contamination.

Assistance to returning refugees and communities
The beneficiaries of DDG Afghanistan include recently returned refugees from neighbouring countries Iran and Pakistan, vulnerable rural populations and the wider humanitarian and development community.

During the period 1999-2008 DDG has recovered and disposed of more than 1.100.000 unexploded ordnance and approximately 20.000 landmines, and Mine Risk Education has been delivered to approximately 164.500 people in the affected communities. DDG has cleared approximately 1.62 million square meters of land and covered 3,260 villages by Village-by-Village EOD clearance.

DDG plans to further develop the quality and safety aspects of the overall Mine Action in Afghanistan. The Village-to-Village Clearance concept DDG introduced to the rest of the Mine Action community has proven effective and cost-efficient. DDG is looking forward to further develop this methodology. 

Expansion and Restructuring
During 2008 DDG Afghanistan saw a number of extensive changes to the benefit of the DDG program and to the Mine Action Program for Afghanistan (MAPA). These changes have allowed DDG Afghanistan to re-establish a very strong base for future deployments within Afghanistan.

These changes include:

• Increase in the number of primary donors. The donor base of DDG Afghanistan has increased from three primary donors in 2007 to 6 major contributors in 2008 and beyond. DDG Afghanistan is currently funded by DANIDA, SIDA, German Federal Foreign Office, Royal Netherlands Government Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN Volunteer Trust Fund and AP Møller (private donor).
  
  
• Introduction the Mini-MineWolf. During 2008 DDG introduced the Mini-Minewolf into the MAPA. This achievement is funded by the Royal Netherlands Government for a period of four years from 2008 to 2011. The intrusive clearance capacity of the Mini-Minewolf give DDG and the MAPA an additional tool in the demining toolbox to significantly increase the rate at which cleared land can be released to impacted communities.

• Regionalisation of Areas of Operations. During 2008 DDG in coordination with the Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan (MACA) made the decision to relocate all clearance in the Western Region of Afghanistan to the Northern Region. This permitted DDG to focus and concentrate its assets in the Central and Northern Regions of Afghanistan. This relocation and the expansion of operational capacity under new donors has enabled DDG to become the primary Mine Action Agency in the Northern Region.

• Restructuring of Teams. DDG realised the need to review its team structure in order to deal with changing requirements to clearance in DDG areas of operations. This review resulted in a restructuring of DDG EOD and Manual Clearance Teams. All EOD and Manual Clearance Teams were restructured in to smaller, more flexible Clearance Sections and cross-trained to conduct both EOD and Manual Clearance Tasks. This has given DDG the capability to respond effectively and efficiently to an increasing number of small and varied Suspected Hazardous Areas (SHA) within its areas of operations. The identification of small SHAs is increasing because of the successful implementation of the polygon survey being conducted by the MACA.

• Establishment of DDG Training Department. The Training Department of DDG Afghanistan has been established during 2008 as a direct result of SIDA funding and objectives. The Training Department has the objective of not only developing the capacity if DDG National Staff, but also the developing the capacity of National Staff from other Mine Action agencies and Implementing Partners. This objective is to be achieved by presenting development courses at various levels of leadership, supervision, management and quality to the staff of Implementing Partners and Mine Action agencies in order to strengthen these organisations from within.

• Impact Monitoring. In March 2009 DDG is rolling out the DDG Impact Monitoring Tool in Afghanistan. This tool will be employed by DDG Mine Risk Education Teams in order to determine the impact that DDG clearance operations are having on the affected communities.

Current Operational Capacity
In 2009 DDG operates in Afghanistan with 82 Clearance Sections, 3 Mechanical Demining Units (one intrusive) and 5 Mine Risk Education/Impact Monitoring Teams. This work force is deployed in the Northern Region and Central Region with a HQ in Kabul and a Field Office in each of the respective regions. DDG staffing totals 570 staff

Currently funded by:

• DANIDA
• SIDA
• German Federal Foreign Office
• Netherlands government (MOFA)
• UN Volunteer Trust Fund (2009 starting again 2010)
• Government of Japan