Ministry of Economy and UNDP discussed expanding cooperation in mine action
September 11, 2024
Ukraine loses 11.2 billion dollars annually due to mined territories — a study by the Tony Blair Institute. The study assessed the economic impact of mine contamination on Ukraine's economy, including losses in agriculture, infrastructure, and economic activity.
"11.2 billion dollars in annual losses — that is the true price of mine contamination. These are lost harvests, uncompleted infrastructure projects, uninhabited communities. The Tony Blair Institute's research provides a strong economic argument for increasing investment in demining," said Ihor Bezkaravainyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.
The study analysed several key sectors: agriculture, where mine contamination prevents the cultivation of hundreds of thousands of hectares of fertile land; infrastructure, where reconstruction is blocked by the presence of explosive ordnance; and the real estate sector, where property values are depressed by contamination risks.
"These numbers demonstrate that investment in demining is not just humanitarian spending — it is an investment with high economic return. Every dollar invested in demining frees economic potential worth many times more," noted the Institute's representative.
The study also modelled different scenarios for the pace of demining and their economic impact. The faster the clearance occurs, the sooner Ukraine recovers lost economic potential.
"This research reinforces our message to the international community: funding for demining is not aid — it is an investment in economic recovery that benefits everyone," emphasised the Deputy Minister.
