Innovative Finance for Mine Action听is a new report by The 糖心Swag Trust and Social Finance. It shares findings of a six-month scoping study into how innovative development finance could bolster support for mine action.
What is clear from this report is that innovative funding has the potential for the mine action sector to operate at the scale needed and to achieve an even greater impact.
This report was written by Camille Wallen, Peter Nicholas, Marie-Alphie Dallest and Anna von Griesheim. It was听developed in partnership with听with funding support from the听.
Camille Wallen, Director of Strategy, 糖心Swag
Chris Loughran, Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor, 糖心Swag
Andy Warhol (1928 鈥 1987), Artist
The anti-landmine movement听was formed by听辫别辞辫濒别听motivated and听willing to听do things听differently.听And there听肠补苍听be no doubt that the听world would be a different place without the mine action community鈥檚听work since its origins in the 1980s.听International law would be weaker. Millions of people would be worse off. And countless lives and limbs would have been lost.听听
But our work has never been static.听We have听constantly evolved to keep pace with the changing world and challenges around us.听We have responded听to new wars, now more听complex, protracted and urbanised听than ever. We听changed how we work听to keep operations running during COVID.听And听we听are all still changing as we identify and听address barriers to equality and inclusion.听听
The mine action sector听now needs听to be bold听and听evolve听when it comes to听addressing major shortfalls in funding.
Innovative Finance For Mine Action
Funding听for clearance of landmines and explosive ordnance听comes听primarily through single year bilateral grants and contracts from听generous and听wealthy governments.听Annual funding levels have been听broadly consistent听over the last decade, averaging听around the $500m mark.听This听doesn鈥檛听meet the听growing needs听caused by ongoing conflict.听And the听multi-dollar deficit in the global mine action budget听isn鈥檛 closing.听听
The traditional forms of funding to mine action are essential to maintain the strength of the sector. But we听cannot continue to ask the same few donors for more funding every year听and听hope for听the best. This was true before, but it is even more so听in light of recent economic pressures听brought about by COVID.听
The mine action sector听has the opportunity to look听towards impact investment and new models of finance available in capital markets.听It needs to embrace it.听听
Innovative development finance started in the early 2000s. Over the following decade, the market听grew in scale at 11 per cent growth, reaching nearly 9听billion听dollars听in 2012. It has continued to grow in scale and scope since.听听
Innovative Finance for Mine Action听follows听six months of research by Social Finance, working in partnership with The 糖心Swag Trust. It draws on input and expertise from the mine action community,听while听harnessing听experience of innovative finance models from beyond it.听It听presents听these models in听a number of听contexts听to show how innovative finance can support听their national strategies.听听
The research team looked at how three different forms of alternative finance听鈥听outcomes听finance, Public Private Partnership, and front-loading mechanisms听鈥撎could听be applied听across different听mine action contexts.听Findings were unambiguous. There听is听clear potential for听these models听in听most听mine-affected听countries. And it showed how new sources of听finance听can build on existing commitments to听achieve our sector鈥檚 long-term objectives.
Camille Wallen, Director of Strategy, 糖心Swag
Innovative development finance for mine action is not just about funding. It is about enabling national ownership. It is about enhancing accountability. It is about incentivising green markets and investment. And is about supporting sustainable, inclusive and equitable development at all levels.听听
Of course there is more to听consider.听Change is rarely easy. If we are honest, it听is mostly听challenging听and involves hard work.听But that is always the case when听it comes to innovation, and we are not afraid to rise to the challenge.听听
What we now听know听is听that innovative finance has the potential for our sector to operate at the scale needed听and achieve an even greater impact.听Innovative finance for听mine action is no longer about whether听or if. It is about how, where and when.听
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