New York / Brussels, 23 April 2026 – The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Sudan has received new funding from the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) to support mine action activities aimed at improving civilian safety, humanitarian access, and early recovery in conflict-affected areas of Sudan.
The €3 million contribution will support the implementation of the 18-month project “Rebuilding Sudan: Mine Action for Recovery.” This project will focus on addressing widespread explosive ordnance contamination in accessible urban and peri-urban areas receiving large numbers of returnees, including the capital city of Khartoum.
Since the outbreak of renewed conflict in April 2023, explosive ordnance contamination has expanded significantly across residential neighborhoods, public infrastructure, and key supply routes, posing a severe threat to civilians and aid actors alike. As displacement patterns evolve and recovery efforts begin, mine action has become a critical precondition for safe return, reconstruction, and the restoration of basic services.
“Explosive ordnance remains a deadly threat for families seeking to return home in Sudan,” said Kazumi Ogawa, Director of UNMAS. “With EU support, UNMAS will clear priority areas and help create the conditions for safe returns and recovery.”
Through this FPI-funded action, UNMAS will conduct systematic survey and clearance of explosive ordnance from residential areas, key roads, markets, and critical infrastructure, including schools, health facilities, and public service facilities. The project will also deliver explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) to at-risk populations, while strengthening local and national capacities through training, coordination, and technical support to the mine action and other sectors.
An estimated 700,000 conflict-affected civilians are expected to benefit directly from improved safety and access, with more than one million people reached indirectly through safer movement, humanitarian operations, and the resumption of essential services across multiple sectors, including health, education, food security, and water and sanitation.
The action complements ongoing EU humanitarian support in Sudan by focusing on more systematic, area-based clearance that supports early recovery and reconstruction. Together, these efforts aim to reduce the risk of accidents, enable the safe return of displaced populations, and lay the groundwork for longer-term stabilization and peacebuilding.
“Mine action saves lives and is a cornerstone for recovery amid a conflict that, for more than three years, has claimed thousands of lives and caused immense hardship for the Sudanese people,” said Peter M. Wagner, Head of FPI. “Addressing explosive ordnance contamination is an urgent priority. It protects civilians, enables safer movement, and supports the restoration of basic services for communities’’. UNMAS will implement the project in close coordination with national authorities, humanitarian and recovery partners, and the wider mine action community, ensuring a conflict- and gender-sensitive approach that prioritizes the safety and needs of the most vulnerable populations.
Media Contacts
Lee Woodyear | Global Communications Officer | UNMAS | woodyear@un.org | +1 6464161418
