The Commercialization of Afghan Demining
Afghan demining is in a period of momentous change. After years of UN-led and NGO-implemented mine action, the last few years have seen the influx of commercial demining companies. This has the potential to enhance the capacity of Afghan demining, through greater profit-driven efficiency, innovation and specialization. Moreover, it is unlikely that many NGOs would be able, or willing, to do mine and UXO clearance tasks for the Coalition and Afghan militaries. Thus some involvement of commercial companies in Afghan demining should be welcomed. However, there are also several possible disadvantages to commercialization. Firstly, without tight controls and a clear regulatory framework, using commercial companies risks lowering the quality and safety of the demining process. Secondly, turning demining into a purchasable commodity risks drawing demining resources away from those who need mine clearance the most, as those who can pay get demining first. Finally, commercialization, which has seen the growing role of private security contractors in demining, has occurred in tandem with the merging of US aid and security policy in Afghanistan. As a result, there is a danger that neutral ‘humanitarian space’ for demining may be reduced.
After fieldwork based in Kabul in the winter of 2006, I felt very concerned about the fate of a humanitarian, needs-based demining program in Afghanistan and wrote this discussion paper published by the London School of Economics Centre for the Study of Global Governance. I have not been to Afghanistan recently, so I do not know if things have improved since then — I am told that the UN has tightened up its regulation and control of the commercial companies. Perhaps someone who has been there recently can comment.
[...] For a good investigation of the impact of private security companies on the civilian population in Afghanistan and Angola, see this paper from Swiss Peace Foundation. For my critique of the role of private security companies’ involvement in Afghan demining, click here. [...]
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