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A common sight at mine-action projects around the world is the logo for the U.S. Department of State's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (WRA). From this relatively small office comes the lionshare of funding for clearance of unexploded bombs, mines-risk education and ordnance victim assistance in areas of post and current conflict around the world.
This week WRA released the 2103 edition of "To Walk the Earth in Safety" marking 20 years of leadership in clearing bombs, helping innocent victims of conflict and teaching children to avoid explosive remnants of war.
"Taken together these efforts can make post-conflict communities safer and set the stage for recovery and development," said Tom Kelly Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs in the United States Department of State. "Our efforts have assisted 15 countries around the world to become free of humanitarian impact of landmines and have helped to reduce the world's annual landmine casualty rate."
Featured in the annual report are all the organizations receiving WRA support and stories about the life-saving work they do.
"The work of Clear Path International would not be possible without WRA support," said Kiman Lucas, Executive Director of Clear Path International, one of the organizations featured in the report. "We have served thousands of survivors from Vietnam to Afghanistan thanks to the leadership of the U.S. government and we are proud to represent the goodwill of the American people."
Read the 2013 edition of "To Walk the Earth in Safety" here.
