Bosnia and Herzegovina faces landmine clearance challenges

Bosnia and Herzegovina currently has approximately 756 square kilometers of mine-suspect land. According to data from the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre (BHMAC), the area has decreased from 774 square kilometers at the start of the year following the clearance of about 18 square kilometers.

The demining process faces significant challenges, including a sharp decline in international donor funding and a shortage of personnel. The number of trained deminers has nearly halved compared to pre-pandemic levels, dropping from over 2,000 to approximately 1,100. Additionally, many experienced workers are approaching retirement, and interest among younger people in this high-risk profession is declining.

A proposed new law on mine action aims to secure stable domestic funding by mandating that institutions allocate at least 0.2 percent of their budgets to demining activities. This legislation also seeks to regulate the working, social, and pension status of demining personnel. Under an optimal scenario involving the new law and stable funding, BHMAC estimates the clearance process could be completed by 2036. However, without legislative changes and continued loss of donor support, the timeline could be pushed back to 2045.