RESOURCE MOBILISATION Mine action is a sector of intensive resources requiring significant financial investment. For instance, in 2017 alone, BiH spent a total of 32 million BAM (around 19 million USD) on mine action activities. 99 On top of that, in order to implement its Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025 and to fulfil clearance obligations by 2027, BiH declared that it will need 336.2 million BAM (around 202 million USD). 100 Showcasing medium and long-term impacts could make donors more inclined to provide such levels of financial support. Already in 2017, the GICHD-UNDP study identified that resource mobilisation was of great concern within the sector and that linking expected results and referencing concrete contributions to the SDGs can play a significant role in resource mobilisation. 101 As the mine action sector has been diversifying its fundraising sources and accessing broader development and humanitarian aid funds, referencing development outcomes seems instrumental. In this regard, the study explored the experience of the mine action sector in BiH and Lao PDR over recent years, to assess the extent to which the sector has been using the SDGs for fundraising purposes and to understand their views on whether further alignment with the SDG framework, or whether demonstrating development outcomes, could increase their chances of obtaining funds. The study found that the NMAAs of BiH and Lao PDR have indeed been using the SDGs for fundraising purposes, particularly when it comes to land release, by showing the long-term and sustainable development outcomes of clearance. Both the BHMAC and the NRA reported having integrated SDGs in their proposals to potential donors. In this context, the NRA advised that they included SDG 18 (Lives Safe from UXO) in every concept paper drafted for donors as it helped to mobilise funds. Moreover, the NRA also reported that donors were particularly interested to see the alignment of SDG 18 with other SDGs. In this regard, Lao PDR undertook two recent projects: one on gender mainstreaming in the UXO sector by integrating SDG 18 and SDG 5, and the second project aimed at linking SDG 18 with SDG 1, SDG 5, SDG 8, and SDG 10 by providing vocational training assistance to persons with disabilities, including UXO survivors, in Lao PDR. 102 As stated by a representative of the UNDP Lao UXO Unit, “Everything we say, and everything we do [in Lao PDR], it is all linked into the SDGs.” The UNDP Lao UXO Unit also added that there was an expectation from most of the donors to see linkages between the SDGs and development in UXO project proposals, particularly if the fund is linked to development cooperation of donor countries. In addition to this, the existing linkages between the UXO sector and development, at the national level, allow the UXO sector to easily identify UXO-related linkages and then present them to the donors at the drafting stage of proposals. 103
Impact of COVID-19 on resource mobilisation
With devastating consequences on the health and well-being of millions of people, COVID-19 is also impacting the economy of countries throughout the world. For many developed countries, this has resulted in a reduction of their international aid and of various donor contributions for the humanitarian and development fields, including the mine action sector. The research found that BiH and Lao PDR have also been facing competing priorities and financial cuts in funds by international donors. In addition, the research identified a shared sentiment that the economic consequences of COVID-19 will be prevalent for the next couple of years.
Part 2 – Are the Sustainable Development Goals being used by the mine action sector? 29
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