Landmine Free 2025

In 2014, States Parties to the 1997 Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty committed to intensify clearance efforts and aspired to meet this goal to the fullest extent possible by 2025. The international community had good reason to be ambitious at the time and Landmine Free 2025 was created in 2017; a campaign to eliminate the terrible impact of landmines from people’s lives and fulfil the promise of this important international Treaty. The political commitment was reiterated in 2019 in Oslo and HALO continued to work with other humanitarian mine action organisations, donor governments and private supporters, to unite for a Landmine Free 2025.

Though this campaign galvanised a lot of attention on the global landmine contamination and resulted in political and financial support, it was always an ambitious goal to achieve. Progress was further hindered by the increased use of improvised mines, a global pandemic, and increased use in new and old conflicts globally, alongside an ever-increasing funding gap. Whilst celebrating the impact the campaign had, it ended in 2022 to allow for taking stock and to look ahead to what the Mine Action sector should aim for after 2025. 

The upcoming Fifth Review Conference of the Ottawa Treaty in Siem Reap in November 2025 will be a crucial moment for the Mine Action sector. At a time where many challenges exist, renewed commitment for the important Ottawa Treaty and sharing best practice will be more important than ever. The international community will come together in a mine-affected country, which has achieved great progress during the last three decades. HALO started operations in Cambodia in 1991 and has since released a total of 500,000,000 square metres of land. We look forward to celebrating this success in Siem Reap and to work with all stakeholders involved to progress with the implementation of the Ottawa Treaty and to prepare the sector for the years ahead.  

Princess Diana’s iconic walk through a HALO minefield in Angola in 1997 catapulted the landmine issue to prominence. Later that year, 122 countries came together to sign the Ottawa Treaty, banning the use of anti-personnel mines.

 
Two decades on, much has been achieved—almost 30 countries have been declared mine free, including Mozambique, once one of the most mined countries in the world. Today, 164 countries have signed up to the Ottawa Treaty and countless lives have been saved and communities rebuilt, but landmines continue to kill and maim. Therefore, HALO staff across the globe continue to work tirelessly to protect lives and restore the livelihoods of those affected by conflict.