International Mine Awareness Day: With EU support an additional 10 million sqm of land in BiH is mine free

International Mine Awareness Day: With EU support an additional 10 million sqm of land in BiH is mine free

10 million square metres of land in six BiH municipalities have been cleared of mines since August 2025 thanks to an EU-funded project "EU Support to Land Release on Targeted Mine Suspected Areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina". This project, implemented by ITF Enhancing Human Security, has received a grant of €10 million from the EU, and is contributing to safer access to forests, farmland and other natural resources essential for daily life and local economies.

"Landmines remain one of the most painful legacies from the past, which continue to endanger lives and hold back local development in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The EU has continuously supported landmine clearance, survivor assistance and capacity building for local authorities over the years. We have not forgotten the deminers who risk their lives to carry out these dangerous tasks and we support them by providing the tools and protective equipment needed to operate in extremely challenging locations. Our objective remains a mine-free Bosnia and Herzegovina making progress on its path to EU membership, and we will continue to support that goal", said Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Luigi Soreca.

The European Union is one of the largest donors supporting mine action in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with more than €50 million invested since the late 1990s. This support includes demining operations, assistance to mine victims, strengthening of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre (BHMAC), support to civil protection authorities in both entities, as well as training and mentoring with the support of EUFOR.

Despite progress, around 1.6% of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina is suspected to still be contaminated with landmines. "EU Support to Land Release on Targeted Mine Suspected Areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina" supports demining operations in Ilijaš, Ključ, Teslić, Hadžići, Pale and Drvar, and is ongoing since August 2025.

As part of this project, the European Union has provided key equipment to BHMAC and the Civil Protection Administrations of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska to make demining faster and safer, particularly in hard-to-reach mountainous areas where many minefields are located. This includes modern equipment such as metal detectors, drones and GPS systems, as well as 19 off-road vehicles for accessing difficult terrain and protective equipment and uniforms. In several locations, contamination has restricted access to important infrastructure and recreational mountain trails used by residents and visitors. By removing these hazards, the EU-funded demining operations help ensure safe movement and unlock newopportunities.

This assistance is part of a broader and ongoing commitment, that includes also a €10 million support package for the demining battalion of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing 68 medical and transport vehicles and other equipment and protective equipment for demining teams, financed through the European Peace Facility, as well as close cooperation with EUFOR. EUFOR contributes through mentoring, mine risk education and the monitoring and quality control of demining operations across the country.

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