Estonia allocated €1.7 million for humanitarian demining in Ukraine

Ukraine has created a unique humanitarian demining market: more than 100 companies have already been certified. This is an unprecedented number for any mine-affected country and demonstrates the dynamic development of the sector.

"In 2022, there were only 6 mine action operators in Ukraine. Today, more than 100 certified companies work in the sector. This is a unique result that no other mine-affected country has achieved in such a short time," said Ihor Bezkaravainyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.

The rapid growth in the number of operators was made possible by a combination of factors: simplified certification procedures while maintaining quality standards, state support through the compensation programme, and strong demand for demining services.

"We have created a real competitive market for demining services. This drives down prices, improves quality, and accelerates the pace of clearance. When operators compete for contracts in a transparent auction system, the winner is the farmer who receives services at the best price," explained the Deputy Minister.

Among the certified companies are both large international operators with decades of experience and new Ukrainian companies that were established specifically to work in the mine action sector. This diversity strengthens the sector and stimulates innovation.

"The Ukrainian humanitarian demining market has become a model for other countries. We regularly receive requests from mine-affected countries who want to learn from our experience in building a competitive and transparent demining sector," noted Bezkaravainyi.

The Government continues to work on further developing the market — improving regulatory frameworks, supporting innovation, and ensuring conditions for the sustainable operation of mine action companies.