The United States remains the world’s single largest financial supporter of global conventional weapons destruction efforts, which promote international peace and security by reducing humanitarian hazards from landmines and explosive remnants of war in post-conflict communities. The United States also partners with nations worldwide to increase accountability and combat illicit diversion of poorly-secured or otherwise at-risk small arms and light weapons, including man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS), and ammunition.
Today’s release of the 22nd edition of To Walk the Earth in Safety, the Department of State’s annual report summarizing the accomplishments of the U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction Program, highlights the United States’ enduring commitment to making post-conflict communities safer. This sets the stage for their recovery and development and improves international security by making it harder for terrorists, drug traffickers, and others to obtain the weapons and ammunition that fuel instability and undermine the rule of law.
* The United States is the world’s leading financial supporter of conventional weapons destruction, providing more than $4.6 billion in assistance to more than 120 countries and areas since 1993. In fiscal year 2022, the United States funded conventional weapons destruction efforts in more than 65 countries and areas with more than $376 million.
* The United States continued funding stockpile management programs worldwide aimed at reducing at-risk weapons and ammunition and improving stockpile security to prevent their diversion to criminals and terrorists.
* The Department’s Quick Reaction Force maintained the capability to assist countries on an emergency, first-responder basis, both to assess and provide expert guidance on how to prevent a catastrophic explosive event at an ammunition depot, or to help manage the aftereffects of such unplanned explosions.
* Proactive community outreach through explosive ordnance risk education programs prevented countless injuries and deaths from explosive remnants of war and landmines, while U.S.-funded survivor assistance provided essential medical and rehabilitation services to people injured by them.
* Working in close cooperation with the Department of Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of State has helped numerous countries to declare themselves mine free.
These efforts resulted in the following accomplishments during fiscal year 2022:
* 243,976,371square meters (60,287acres) of land was safely returned to communities
* 37,564 landmines were destroyed
* 200,112 explosive remnants of war were destroyed
* 9,099 improvised explosive devices or components destroyed
* 228 man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) were destroyed
* 16,561 explosive ordnance disposal callouts were conducted in response to urgent requests for unexploded ordnance to be investigated and rendered safe
* 428 individuals were trained in explosive ordnance disposal
* 3,436,037 individuals received explosive ordnance risk education in person, with more than 18 million additional individuals in Ukraine who received it through social media
* 14,165 excess or obsolete small arms and light weapons were destroyed
* 730 small arms and light weapons were marked for tracing purposes
* 3,938 metric tons of unserviceable ammunition were destroyed
* 775 personnel were trained in physical security and stockpile management
* 103 armories were built or rehabilitated
* 53,714 survivors of explosive ordnance received medical or psychological support
* 51 implementing partners made this success possible
For additional information or to request a printed copy of To Walk the Earth in Safety, please contact the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, at pm-cpa@state.gov, and follow us on Twitter @StateDeptPM. The report is also available on the Department of State website.
Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs