📋 Tender Overview
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Union (EU) and the Turkish Mine Action Center (TURMAC) today marked the successful conclusion of a three-year US$21.3-million project that cleared 94 minefields and 50,000 landmines from Türkiye’s eastern border. The project, funded by the European Union (EU), has made 4.2 million square meters of land safe for local civilians and border management personnel. This achievement builds on two earlier EU-funded phases worth more than EUR 36 million that, since 2016, successfully cleared a total of 95,000 mines and rendered 8.9 million square meters of territory mine-free, supported by a total of US$47.5 million in EU and government funding.
“Demining is often misunderstood,” said UNDP Resident Representative Louisa Vinton, “but the truth is that landmines make borders less rather than more secure, particularly for the personnel charged with protecting the frontier. In removing landmines, we help Türkiye apply a humanitarian approach to border management, while ensuring that shepherds and other civilians remain safe and border patrols can operate in safety and security.”
Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, Head of the EU Delegation, said: “The EU’s support to the removal of landmines also helps Türkiye meet its responsibilities under the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel landmines.We would like to see Türkiye make faster progress to fulfil its international commitments.”
In signing the Ottawa Convention – the short name for the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention – in 2004, Türkiye agreed to phase out all anti-personnel landmines and establish a humanitarian border surveillance system.
With additional Government funding of US$2.5 million, the project worked over three years with TURMAC to determine the contours of 3,451 active minefields in eastern and southern border areas. This work, which completes the mapping of all active landmines in the country, is vital to any planning for future demining efforts.
In addition to clearing mines, the project has provided training to TURMAC personnel in areas including quality management, work with mine detection dogs (MDDs), technical survey operations including data management and analysis, and promoting gender equality. The project trained and employed Türkiye’s two first female MDD handlers. These were among 300 jobs created by the project, in diverse roles such as deminers, medics and drivers.
The project also worked with civil society organisations to ensure that residents of areas where minefields are located understand the risks posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance. Nineteen educational sessions were held in the districts of Bitlis, Tunceli and Mu?, with the participation of 1,853 local residents. In addition, educational materials were provided for sessions to be delivered through national systems to another 900 villagers.
Looking to the future, the cleared land holds promise for the local economy, providing opportunities for tourism (as in the case of the Horomos ruins) as well as livestock raising and farming – vital occupations in the region. This approach ensures that the benefits of the project will continue to resonate in the community for the long term.
