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working paper series

WP 01/2008 - Matthew Bolton

Goldmine? A Critical Look at the Commercialization of Afghan Demining

Afghanistan is considered the birthplace of humanitarian mine action -- the clearance of landmines and unexploded munitions from land intended for civilian use. The demining methods and protocols developed there in the early 1990s were exported to mine-affected countries all over the globe. However, Afghan demining is in a period of momentous change. After 16 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.

discussion papers

DP44 - Nebojsa Petrovic (2007)
Strengthening Peace in the Balkans: Quest for Transformative Energy and Prospects for Change

DP43 - Irena Pejic (2007)
Constitutional Design and Viability of Semi-presidentialism in Serbia

DP42 - Marko Malovic (2007)
Exchange Rate Regimes and Monetary Policies in Emerging Markets: A Showdown for Few Theoretical Misconceptions

DP41 - Sanja Djajic (2006)
Use, Misuse and Abuse of Human Rights Rhetoric: The Case of Serbia

DP40 - Zoran Kostov (2006)
Global tendencies and local implications: Cyber exclusion of and within Western Balkan countries

DP39 - Enver Hoxhaj (2005)
The Politics of Ethnic Conflict Regulation in Kosovo

DP38 - Dimitri A. Sotiropoulos (2005)
Non-governmental organizations and civic initiatives in South Eastern Europe: Towards a transnational civil society?

DP37 - Claudia Grupe and Siniša Kušić (2005)
Intra-regional cooperation in the Western Balkans: Under which conditions does it foster economic progress?

DP36 - Predrag Bjelic (2005)
Trade Policy of the European Union as a Factor of Regional Trade Integration in Southeast Europe

DP35 - Srdjan T. Marinkovic (2005)
Designing an Incentive-Compatible Safety Net in a Financial System in Transition: The Case of Serbia

DP34 - Mina Petrovic (2005)
Cities after Socialism as a Research Issue

DP33 - Petar Atanasov (2004):
'Macedonian National Identity: Quantitative Differences between Unitary and Subaltern National Myths and Narratives.' (South East Europe Series).

DP32 - Jenny Pearce (2004):
'Beyond the Perimeter Fence: Oil and Armed Conflict in Casanare, Columbia.'

DP31 South East Europe Series (2004):
'Kosovo: Successes and Failures of International Civil and Military Involvement.'

DP30 - Erhard Busek (2004):
'Five Years of Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe: Achievements and Challenges Ahead.'

DP29 - Silvana Mojsovska (2003):
'Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's Economic Arrangements with International Organisations: Gains and Losses.' (South East Europe Series)

DP28 - Daniele Archibugi (2003):
'A Critical Analysis of the Self-determination of Peoples:
A Cosmopolitan Perspective.'

DP27 - Paddy Ashdown (2003):
'Peace Stabilisation: The Lessons from Bosnia and Herzegovina.'

DP26 - Mary Kaldor and Yahia Said (2003):
'Regime Change in Iraq.'

DP25 - Natasa Erjavec (2003):
'Applied Macroeconometrics in Transition Economy:
Croatian Experience.' (South East Europe Series)

DP24 - Carla Del Ponte (2003):
' The Role of International Criminal Prosecutions In Reconstructing Divided Communities.'

DP23 - Fikret Causevic (2003):
'Financial Liberalisation and Globalisation: Impact and Effects in South East European Countries.' (South East Europe Series)

DP22 - Michael Steiner (2003):
'For Example, Kosovo: Seven Principles for Building Peace.'

DP21 - Yahia Said (2003):
'Israel-Palestine: The New Peace Movement.'

DP20 - Meghnad Desai (2000):
'The Possibility of Deglobalization.'

DP19 - Richard E. Benedick (1996):
'Global Climate Change: The International Response.'

DP18 - Sir Arthur Knight (1996):
'Global Governance: A Trilateral Approach.'

DP17 - Ian Rowlands (1995):
'The Climate Change Negotiations: Berlin and Beyond.'

DP16 - Dharma Kumar (1995):
'Governance and the Colonial Legacy:
Some Preliminary Considerations.'

DP15 - Charles Taylor (1995):
'Liberal Politics and The Public Sphere.'

DP14 - Ines Smyth (1994):
'Population Policies: Official Responses to Feminist Critiques.'

DP13 - Martin Shaw (1994):
'The Global State and the Politics of Intervention.'

DP12 - John Gordon (1994):
'Green Knight to the Rescue? UN Reform and the UNCED Process.'

DP11 - Peter Loizos (with G. Adam and J. Subotic) (1994):
'Broadcasting for Restraint: Crisis Reduction Through UN supported Initiatives.'

DP10 - Meghnad Desai (1994):
'Measuring Political Freedom.'

DP9 - I.G. Patel (1994):
'Global Economic Governance: Some Thoughts On Our Current Discontents.'

DP8 - Steve Rayner (1994):
'Governance and the Global Commons.'

DP7 - Ruben Mendez (1993):
'The Provision and Financing of Universal Public Goods.'

DP6 - Ioan Lewis (1993):
'Making History of Somalia: Humanitarian Intervention in a Stateless Society.'

DP5 - Marina Fischer Kowalski and Helmut Haberl (1993):
'Metabolism and Colonisation: Modes of Production and the Physical Exchange between Societies and Nature.'

DP4 - Fred Halliday (1993):
'Sleepwalking through History: The New World Order and Its Discontents.'

DP3 - Ian Rowlands (1993):
'The International Politics of Environment and Development: The Post UNCED Agenda.'

DP2 - Lord Judd (1993):
'Global Governance: A Cry for Action.'

DP1 - Sir Austin Bide FRSC (1993):
'The Influence of Science and Technology versus Social Progress.'

public lectures

David Held (2005):
Globalization, Human Rights and International Law

Gareth Evans (2005):
'2005: Make or Break for Global Governance.'

Mary Kaldor (2005):
'Old Wars, Cold Wars, New Wars, Wars on Terror.'

Lord Giddens:
1999-2000 Director's Lectures: 'Runaway World - The Reith Lectures Revisited'

Lord Giddens:
1999 BBC Reith Lectures

Lord Giddens:
1998-1999 Director's Lectures: 'Politic After Socialism'

Lord Giddens, John Gray, Fred Halliday, David Held and Mary Kaldor (2001):
Globalisation - Where next?

Professor Antonio Cassese (2001):
International Criminal Justice: Is it really so needed in the Present World Community?

Pascal Lamy (2003):
'The Prospects for EU-Commonwealth Cooperation on the Doha Development Agenda'

Juan Jose Ibarretxe (2002):
'The Basque Country in a Globalising World'

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (2002):
'The Rise of the Far Right in Europe'

Kofi Annan (2002):
'From Doha to Johannesburg by way of Monterrey: How Development can be Achieved and Sustained in the 21st Century'

Bill Clinton (2001):
'On Globalisation'

Mark Malloch Brown (2001):
'Human Security and Human Development in the 21st Century: A Post-September 11 Agenda'

Gro Harlem Brundtland (2001):
'Globalization as a Force for Better Health'

Pascal Lamy (2001):
'Harnessing Globalisation, Do We Need Cosmopolitics?'

PL13 - Robin Cook, Jan Kavan, George Papandreu (2003):
'Panel on the Influence of the Ideas of 1989 on Foreign Policy.'

PL12 - Timothy Garton Ash, Neal Ascherson, Michael Cox and Barbara Einhorn (2000):
'Round Table Debate on the Global Significance of 1989.'

PL11 - Alexi Pankin (2000):
'Soviet New Thinking.'

PL10 - Adam Michnik (1999):
'The Rebirth of Civil Society.'

PL9 - Mary Kaldor (1999):
'Bringing Peace and Human Rights Together.'

PL8 - Julious Nyerere (1997):
'Africa Today And Tomorrow.'

PL7 - Sir Shirdath Ramphal (1996):
'Education for Life in the Global Neighbourhood.'

PL6 - Robert McNamara (1995):
'A Vision of Global Security in the Twenty first Century.'

PL5 - Desmond Tutu (1995):
'Apartheid and the Dignity of Personhood.'

PL4 - Emeka Anyaoku (1994):
'The Commonwealth and the New Multilateralism.'

PL3 - Pierre Sane (1994):
'Human Rights in the 90s: An Agenda for Action.'

PL2 - Sadako Ogata (1993):
'Challenge to the United Nations: A Humanitarian Perspective.'

PL1 - Stain Hansen (1993):
'Entropy Implications for Global Development.'


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