EU secures additional 767,000 euros for demining and landslide remediation after floods

To help local communities affected by the May floods, the European Union (EU) has secured additional funds amounting to 767,000 euros from the Stability Instrument Fund for the EXPLODE project, the EU Delegation to BiH announced, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

The funds will be used to support the Demining Battalion of the Ministry of Defence of BiH, as a key project partner, in remediating landslides in the area of the TROM military facility in Doboj, and for the removal of explosive ordnance and war remnants from mine-suspected areas affected by the floods.

The May floods this year represent potentially the most severe natural disaster in BiH in the last 120 years, causing damage to over 40,000 housing units and affecting over a million people.
One of the significant security threats is linked to the fact that over 70% of the areas affected by the floods are also contaminated with mines. Their displacement was caused by floods and landslides, in addition to destroyed mine hazard markings and fences.
The post-flood recovery needs assessment, in the section dedicated to demining, emphasizes the importance of broader involvement of national actors in demining efforts to enhance the country's capacity to respond to crisis situations. Therefore, future efforts will bring together representatives of the Ministry of Defence of BiH, BHMAC, and Civil Protection to ensure coherent action in response to crisis situations. The EXPLODE project will also ensure the appropriate use of unused capacities of demining authorities, which will contribute to progress in demining, landslide remediation, and the delaboration of unstable military ammunition stocks during and after the recovery process.

These activities complement the EU's post-flood activities and UNDP's demining management program. However, this is just the beginning. The EU Delegation to BiH and UNDP will continue their efforts to assist affected communities in restoring their sources of income, paving the way for the country's future development free from mines and explosive ordnance.

The project for the destruction of explosive ordnance and war remnants (EXPLODE) was designed and established to prepare and implement military logistical operations, and to support the efforts of the Ministry of Defence of BiH in managing surplus ammunition and explosive ordnance, and to prevent uncontrolled explosions of old and unstable ammunition that can have far-reaching consequences for the safety of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The project is funded by the European Union under the Instrument for Stability (IfS) with an amount of 4,604,830 euros. Over a period of 36 months, the Project is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Nations Development Programme, and the OSCE Mission to BiH.