GCS Mechanical Demining Assets, Training and Mentoring for SESU and NPU – Phase 2

The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) had identified that 6,7 Mio people in Ukraine were in need of humanitarian mine action assistance. Figures of victims have not been up-dated since July 2024, and they indicated almost 1000 civilian victims of mines and explosive remnants of war already (297 having lost their lives, including 15 children). Even though the specific target group for mine action has not been included in the latest HNRP, mine action remains an essential life-saving sector and a priority of the Government of Ukraine for protection and economic recovery.

This project will specifically targets rural and farming communities through the intervention with SESU and urban areas through intervention with NPU.

Outcome 1 – The skills and compliance with mine action standards of SESU's and NPU’s mechanical demining teams are significantly improved thanks to training and demonstrated by quality assurance.

Outcome 2 – The operations of the GCS demining machines are sustainable and efficient through proper logistics and repair services as well as transportation capacity.

Erwartete Resultate:  

- Sustainable and efficient use of the GCS machines provided in Phase 01 is made possible at least until the end 2027 by providing auxiliary items, spare parts and transportation as-sets;

- At least 3 teams from SESU are re-trained in mechanical mine clearance operations with significantly enhanced skills in humanitarian demining and explosive ordnance clearance operations;

- Knowledge retention is strengthened by training at least 12 SESU trainers;

- Suspected and/or confirmed hazardous areas are released with contribution of the provided equipment, specifying the level of processing (cancelled land, reduced land, cleared land) and methodology used;

- Summary on the estimated number of beneficiaries (dis-aggregated by age and gender) – where possible distinguish-ing between direct beneficiaries (land owners and/or users) and indirect beneficiaries;

- Summary on items of explosive ordnance that were de-stroyed by the provided machines and items of explosive ord-nance that were removed and/or destroyed by subsequent clearance assets within the same hazardous areas;

- Summary on internal and external quality management ac-tivities, indicating any encountered difficulties in terms of clearance requirements and the suitability of the mechanical assets;

Resultate von früheren Phasen:   In the first phase of this project, SESU carried out humanitarian demining in the Kherson Region and cleared over 370’000m2, destroying over 360 EO items and increased their capacities and respect of standards. SESU was provided with 3 demining machines GCS-200, spare parts and an extensive logistics and service package, focusing on training activities. Two monitoring visits by experts of the Swiss EOD Center and the Swiss Defence Attaché in Kyiv and in the field attested an effective project delivery. However, it became clear, that further investments in trainings including training of trainers courses, spare parts are needed as well as tranportation capacities. Finally, it became apparent that NPU uses the same types of machines provided by other donors and also lacks both spare parts and transportation capacity as well training services.

More than 30 INGOs and national NGOs have been accredited for mine action and work in parallel to SESU, NPU and other national operators. Since 2022, more than 90 GCS machines have been delivered to Ukraine by various donors.

The state institutions work complementary, focusing mainly on emergency interventions. Particularly NPU is the only entity allowed to enter buildings. Also, sustainable capacity building/localization efforts with state institution is considered crucial as they will remain as international interventions draw down.