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# 					To Walk the Earth in Safety (2020)			

Bureau of Political-Military Affairs

							The Trump Administration’s CWD programs support key U.S. foreign policy priorities and play a direct role in keeping U.S. citizens and our allies safe, while also clearing the way for a stable, secure, and prosperous future in countries that are central to U.S. security interests. Thanks to the bipartisan support of the U.S. Congress and the generosity of the American people, we continue to work toward a future in which all may walk the earth in safety. -- Message From Assistant Secretary Cooper						

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													A Message From Assistant Secretary of State R. Clarke Cooper											

            -  A Message From Assistant Secretary of State R. Clarke Cooper   
            -  Commonly Used Acronyms   
            -  The United States’ Commitment to Conventional Weapons Destruction   
            -  1993–2019 Global Overview of the U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction Program   
            -  U.S. Government Interagency Partners                -  United States Agency for International Development Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund 
              -  U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Training Center 
              -  U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program 
            -  Implementation Tools and Fora                -  The Mine Action Support Group 
              -  Mine Detection Dogs: Humanity’s Best Friend Detects Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War 
              -  Senior Managers’ Course in Conventional Weapons Destruction 
              -  U.S. Department of State Quick Reaction Force: Providing Rapid Response to CWD Emergencies 
              -  The Interagency MANPADS Task Force: Building Partnerships to Protect Global Aviation 
            -  Improving Lives Through U.S. CWD Programs                -  Africa: A Woman’s Triumph in the Congo: From Landmine Victim to Landmine Survivor ...AND MORE 
              -  East Asia and Pacific: MAG Defuses 750 Pound Bomb in Populated Area of Vietnam’s Quang Binh Province 
              -  Europe: Reclaiming Ukraine’s Grafske Nature Reserve, Timber Industry, and Forestry Education Resource 
              -  Middle East and North Africa: Al-Hamdaniya Water Project -- Freedom and Clean Water Restoration Triumph Over Terrorists and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) 
              -  Western Hemisphere: Clearing Landmines Fosters Eco-Tourism in a Colombian Paradise 
            -  Regional Profile: Africa                -  Overview 
              -  Angola  
              -  Burkina Faso 
              -  Central African Republic 
              -  Chad 
              -  Democratic Republic of the Congo 
              -  Guinea 
              -  Guinea-Bissau 
              -  Malawi 
              -  Mali 
              -  Mauritania 
              -  Niger 
              -  Senegal 
              -  Somalia 
              -  South Sudan 
              -  Zimbabwe 
              -  Africa--Regional Programs 
              -  Africa--Other U.S. Support 
            -  Regional Profile: East Asia and Pacific                -  Overview  
              -  Cambodia 
              -  Laos 
              -  Marshall Islands 
              -  Palau 
              -  Solomon Islands 
              -  Vietnam 
              -  East Asia and Pacific--Regional Programs 
              -  East Asia and Pacific--Other U.S. Support 
            -  Regional Profile: Europe                -  Overview  
              -  Albania 
              -  Bosnia and Herzegovina 
              -  Croatia 
              -  Georgia 
              -  Kosovo 
              -  Montenegro 
              -  Serbia 
              -  Ukraine 
              -  Europe--Other U.S. Support 
            -  Regional Profile: Middle East and North Africa                -  Overview 
              -  Iraq 
              -  Jordan 
              -  Lebanon 
              -  Libya 
              -  Syria 
              -  Yemen 
              -  Middle East and North Africa--Other U.S. Support 
            -  Regional Profile: South and Central Asia                 -  Overview 
              -  Afghanistan 
              -  Kyrgyzstan 
              -  Sri Lanka 
              -  Tajikistan 
              -  South and Central Asia--Other U.S. Support 
            -  Regional Profile: Western Hemisphere                -  Overview 
              -  Colombia 
              -  El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras 
              -  Mexico 
              -  Peru 
              -  Western Hemisphere--Other U.S. Support 
            -  Implementing Partners   
            -  U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction Funding 1993–2019   

							A Message From Assistant Secretary of State R. Clarke Cooper					

What does it mean to you “To Walk the Earth in Safety”? As Eagle Scouts, my brother and I explored the great American outdoors without once having to worry about placing a foot on a landmine or disturbing a deadly explosive. All youth should be able to spend their days with this same freedom to roam and play. Yet today many children in post-conflict areas cannot enjoy the open exploring my brother and I did during our years in the Boy Scouts. Instead, they must worry about landmines or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or other explosive hazards—threats that may be from a recent conflict or one that ended decades ago. This is why the United States is steadfastly committed to conventional weapons destruction (CWD). Our CWD assistance programs provide the United States with a powerful and flexible tool to help partner countries protect their populations through better management of stockpiles of munitions, destruction of excess small arms and light weapons (SA/LW), and clearance of explosive hazards such as landmines, IEDs, and unexploded ordnance (UXO). Our assistance also helps countries reduce threats to civilian aviation and public safety from illicit or poorly-secured man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).

The United States is at a crossroads for American partnerships, not just on CWD, but across the spectrum of security cooperation. Many nations look at partnering with the United States on matters of defense and security not as an imperative, but as one of several options. Through the essential work carried out by the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA), the United States proves time and again it can be relied upon to improve the lives and livelihoods of people around the world. Our CWD assistance is an integral part of our friendships, which are an integral part of U.S. security, and helps to make the case the United States is and should remain the global security partner of choice.

My previous security cooperation experiences, be it active duty military or diplomatic service, continuously reinforced the importance of securing weapons so they do not fall into the hands of nefarious actors. Stockpiles of excess, poorly- secured, or otherwise at-risk conventional arms and ammunition remain a serious challenge to peace and prosperity in many countries. Poorly-secured munitions are easily diverted to terrorists and other destabilizing actors. Explosive hazards continue to kill and maim civilians long after conflicts end, preventing the safe return of displaced people and suppressing economic opportunities crucial to prosperity and political stability. While these dangers persist, it is difficult for communities to recover from conflict.

*Assistant Secretary R. Clarke Cooper speaks with a MAG (Mines Advisory Group) deminer at a clearance site in Sri Lanka. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of State.*

U.S. CWD programs help pave the way for post-conflict stabilization assistance and lay a solid foundation for long-term sustainable economic development. In June 2019, on one of my first overseas trips as Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, I saw firsthand how the government of Sri Lanka successfully manages its post-war remediation efforts as they work towards their goal of becoming landmine free by 2025. Programs like these are helping to improve the livelihoods of local peoples.

The United States is a strong and historic partner for affected states and a leader in donor assistance. Since 1993, the United States has provided more than $3.7 billion in CWD assistance to over 100 countries. These programs are implemented by commercial contractors, nongovernmental organizations (NGO), and international organizations. In 2019, the United States had active CWD programs in 58 countries, spanning Africa, the Middle East, South and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. This 19th edition of To Walk the Earth in Safety catalogs the U.S. government’s achievements in CWD in each country and highlights the important partnerships building the foundation of a more secure world, in which children have the freedom to explore.

The Trump Administration’s CWD programs support key U.S. foreign policy priorities and play a direct role in keeping U.S. citizens and our allies safe, while also clearing the way for a stable, secure, and prosperous future in countries that are central to U.S. security interests. Thanks to the bipartisan support of the U.S. Congress and the generosity of the American people, we continue to work toward a future in which all may walk the earth in safety.

R. Clarke CooperAssistant SecretaryPolitical-Military Affairs

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							Commonly Used Acronyms					

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							The United States’ Commitment to Conventional Weapons Destruction					

*An Iraqi deminer prepares to search for ERW close to critical fuel infrastructure near Mosul, Iraq. Photo courtesy of Tetra Tech.*

Stockpiles of excess, poorly-secured, or otherwise at-risk conventional weapons continue to challenge peace and prosperity worldwide. In the wrong hands, SA/LW fuel political instability and violence, while more advanced conventional weapons, such as MANPADS, threaten international security. Aging ammunition stockpiles may also explode without warning, devastating nearby population centers. Meanwhile, landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), including cluster munition remnants, artillery shells, and mortars, kill and maim people even after conflicts end. Clearing land paves the way for stabilization assistance to move forward, allowing displaced persons to return home, economic revitalization to begin, and political stability to take root.

**The U.S. Government’s Collaborative Approach**

The United States is committed to reducing these threats worldwide and is the leading financial supporter of CWD, providing more than $3.7 billion in assistance to more than 100 countries since 1993. This makes the United States the world’s single largest financial supporter of CWD. The Department of State, Department of Defense, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) work together with foreign governments, private companies, international organizations, and NGOs to reduce excess SA/LW and conventional munitions stockpiles (including MANPADS), implement best practices for physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) at conventional weapons storage sites, and carry out humanitarian mine action (HMA) programs.

In 2019, PM/WRA managed global overseas programs with $198.5 million* in CWD assistance. It also led the U.S. Interagency MANPADS Task Force, which coordinates counter-MANPADS efforts by the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and other relevant stakeholders, and helps partner nations eliminate or better secure their MANPADS. The Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Training Center (HDTC) trains deminers, ammunition handlers, and stockpile managers from partner countries. The Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program (HD R&D) improves CWD technologies, enhancing the efficiency and safety of humanitarian demining operations around the world. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) assists mine and UXO survivors, providing medical and rehabilitative care through its Leahy War Victims Fund.

**Department of State Support for CWD**

Through PM/WRA, the Department of State has managed 72 percent (over $2.7 billion) of the United States’ contribution to CWD since 1993, with a three-fold objective:

- Enhance U.S. and international security by destroying and securing SA/LW, including MANPADS, at risk of proliferation to terrorists, insurgents, and other violent non-state actors.
- Improve stability and prosperity by clearing ERW and returning land to productive use.
- Build trust and deepen relationships with key partners to accelerate achievement of broader U.S. foreign policy objectives.

PM/WRA partners with NGOs, international organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector to implement its programs. Robust project performance standards, enhanced monitoring and evaluation strategies, and a comprehensive program planning process guide PM/WRA’s decisions and hold implementing partners accountable.

The measurable, tangible results that flow from the U.S. government’s commitment to CWD programs strongly support U.S. foreign policy priorities. In addition, these programs help protect the lives and livelihoods of civilians so they can more safely remain in their own countries.

**Initial planned allocations*

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							1993–2019 Global Overview of the U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction Program					

*Global Map.*

**Percent of Total U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction Funding By Region 1993–2019**

**Top 10 Countries Funded 1993–2019 (Aggregate)**

*(Dollars in thousands)*

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							U.S. Government Interagency Partners					

### United States Agency for International Development Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund

*Nishan, 14, from Nepal, lost his leg at the age of five. Now he can walk again with support from STRIDE. Photo courtesy of HI.*

The Leahy War Victims Fund, established in 1989 and managed by USAID, is an important source of U.S. assistance to civilian victims of conflict in developing countries. The Leahy War Victims Fund is a dedicated provider of financial and technical support for people with disabilities, particularly those who sustain mobility-related injuries from landmines, UXO, and other maladies resulting from conflict. To date, the Leahy War Victims Fund has provided approximately $389 million in assistance to more than 50 countries, including Burma, Colombia, Georgia, Haiti, Laos, Tajikistan, and Ukraine.

The Leahy War Victims Fund was originally tasked with delivering immediate care to civilians impacted by landmines and UXO, including the provision of prosthetics, orthotics, and rehabilitation services. Its scope has widened to accommodate the changing needs of vulnerable populations and to promote quality sustainable rehabilitation services in conflict-affected countries. The Leahy War Victims Fund also supports the development of international rehabilitation standards, and training on those standards to ensure rehabilitation practitioners and institutions have sufficient capacity to provide high-quality services.

In Nepal, Leahy War Victims Fund supported the five-year, $4.8 million Strengthening the Rehabilitation in District Environs (STRIDE) activity implemented by Humanity and Inclusion (HI). HI partnered with five physical rehabilitation centers, the Ministry of Health (MoH), and local disabled persons organizations to strengthen the sustainability of physical rehabilitation services and foster integration of disabled persons into their communities. Program activities included:

- Physical rehabilitation services for 48,615 individuals
- Psychosocial support for 9,449 individuals and the development of livelihood activities for 4,318 individuals
- 274 mobile assessment camps in 53 remote districts
- Training over 60 rehabilitation professionals

The STRIDE activity worked with the MoH to strengthen the rehabilitation sector; develop a Nepal-specific Priority Assistive Product List; implement the Rehabilitation Management System to assess the quality of rehabilitation services; and lead research to strengthen evidence-based, best-practice interventions. Spending approximately $12 million in 2019, in addition to ongoing programs in 18 countries, the Leahy War Victims Fund launched two new activities in 2019. As a result of STRIDE’s achievement in Nepal, HI is implementing physical rehabilitation activity to establish a sustainable, integrated, public-private rehabilitation system to improve the mobility and functional independence of victims of conflict and individuals in need of rehabilitation services. Results for Development is implementing the Health System Strengthening Accelerator activity to connect locally-driven health system innovation with global knowledge to improve the institutional architecture for evidence-based and sustainable rehabilitation services in health systems in conflict-affected countries.

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### U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Training Center

https://home.army.mil/lee/index.php/units-tenants/humanitarian-demining-training-center

*HDTC personnel give a demonstration to CISR’s 2019 Senior Managers’ Course at Ft. Lee, VA. Photo courtesy of CISR.*

The Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Training Center (HDTC), at Fort Lee, Virginia, is a component of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA). HDTC trains and prepares U.S. military forces, other U.S. government stakeholders, and international partners to build partner-nation capacity in land-based and underwater UXO disposal and PSSM of conventional stockpiled munitions. In addition, the center provides program management support for the mine action programs administered by the U.S. military’s geographic combatant commands: African Command, Central Command, European Command, Indo-Pacific Command, and Southern Command. HDTC’s responsibilities include validating HMA project plans and budgets, and monitoring and evaluating global Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid (OHDACA)-funded HMA activities.

HDTC curricula include courses on demining and stockpiled conventional munitions assistance (SCMA). Demining subjects cover landmine and battle area clearance (BAC), EOD, and underwater UXO disposal, and SCMA subjects include PSSM of conventional stockpiled munitions. Training is conducted in accordance with U.S. law and policy, and international guidelines governing mine action and PSSM and UXO disposal. The center uses a three-phase approach to provide program management support to the geographic combatant commands. When a partner nation is accepted into the Department of Defense mine action program, HDTC deploys program analysts to assess the state of a partner nation’s capability to conduct demining and SCMA. The assessment provides a viable plan with established objectives and outcomes and is a tool used by combatant commands to request OHDACA-funded resources to execute mine action projects. DSCA in consultation with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Special Operations Low Intensity Conflict, Stability and Humanitarian Affairs, and PM/WRA approve mine action projects.

HDTC also conducts capacity-building training or technical assistance activities in support of combatant command mine action projects. HDTC personnel provide a suite of tools and expertise to perform PSSM, landmine clearance and EOD, and underwater UXO disposal in partnership with other public organizations or private industry. The beneficiaries of capacity building are junior military officers, non-commissioned officers, or civil servants tasked with conducting mine action operations. In order to sustain the capabilities of partner nation HMA programs, HDTC, in coordination with PM/WRA, executes mine action projects to enhance the skills of mine action managers and ministerial or executive level personnel. These projects include seminars and workshops on legal, policy, and programmatic topics at the operational and strategic level. In FY19, HDTC spent $3.2 million dollars to execute its global mission.

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### U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program

*Field testing of the Mini MineWolf in Thailand. Photo courtesy of HD R&D.*

The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Research and Development (HD R&D) Program was established by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1994. It focuses on the rapid development, testing, demonstration, and validation of technologies that increase the efficiency and enhance the safety of humanitarian demining operations. In this mission, HD R&D may adapt commercial off-the-shelf technologies, use mature technologies, or leverage existing military countermine technologies.

HD R&D partners with humanitarian demining organizations to conduct operational field evaluations in their own demining operations and provide assessment and feedback on new technologies. Field evaluations are one of the most important aspects of the HD R&D Program because the equipment undergoes testing in actual minefields. These evaluations allow the host country to operate the equipment and determine whether it is useful, cost-effective, and cost-efficient.

HD R&D’s current technology development areas include hazardous area confirmation, vegetation/obstacle clearance, mine and UXO detection, mechanical-mine and UXO clearance, mechanical-mine neutralization, post-clearance quality control, and information management. Technology development plans are based on feedback from field evaluations and biennial requirements workshops with implementing partners and country programs.

In 2019, HD R&D performed testing and operational field evaluations in Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Palau, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam, the West Bank, and Zimbabwe. Since 1995, HD R&D technologies have cleared 68 million square meters (16,803 acres) and removed or destroyed approximately 209,000 mines and UXO. The program has fielded technologies in support of 234 operational field evaluations in 43 countries.

The program receives funding and strategic oversight from the Department of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary for Stability and Humanitarian Affairs and coordinates with the U.S. DoD Geographical Combatant Commands’ Humanitarian Mine Action officers and the U.S. Department of State’s PM/WRA.

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							Implementation Tools and Fora					

### The Mine Action Support Group

*The October 2019 MASG meeting was held in New York City. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of State.*

The Mine Action Support Group (MASG), established in 1998, endeavors to coordinate HMA programs funded by the world’s major donor states, harmonize the prioritization of their respective mine action programs, and increase donor support for mine action where it is most needed. Chairmanship of the MASG rotates biennially; the United States held the position from 2018–2019.

The MASG is composed of over 30 donor states and a few observer organizations, which include members of the United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group for Mine Action, GICHD, Organization of American States (OAS), ITF-Enhancing Human Security, and the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at James Madison University (CISR/JMU).

The MASG serves as an independent forum for the exchange of information and coordination of financial support and resources. PM/WRA funds a small secretariat that collects information, provides reports, organizes meetings, and facilitates visits to certain mine-affected countries as agreed to by the MASG members. The MASG meets twice a year and adheres to Chatham House Rule.

PM/WRA Director and recent MASG Chair, Stanley L. Brown created a living document for MASG members to discuss their current programs aimed at eliminating landmines and ERW. This enabled MASG members to connect with like-minded programmatic members in the hopes of assisting designated states to achieve their mine free status. The MASG also addressed timely topics such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen IED threat mitigation, IED disposal standards, and how to assist targeted states to meet their Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Article 5 obligations.

“One of the reasons the United States wanted to chair the MASG is that the global need for HMA programs continues to outstrip available resources,” Brown said. “Therefore, our effort over the past two years has been to deepen understanding of each other’s priorities and better identify funding sources in an effort to maximize their impact.”

The UN Mine Action Gateway website posts MASG notices, minutes, and presentations at https://www.mineaction.org/en/mine-action-support-group-masg.

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### Mine Detection Dogs: Humanity’s Best Friend Detects Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War

*An MDD and handler work together in Kosovo. Photo courtesy of MDDC.*

Service dogs are renowned for excelling at tasks. Some serve as seeing eye dogs. Others sniff for illicit drugs. Some are trained to provide emotional support. But the use of trained mine detecting dogs (MDD) to locate landmines and ERW is less known. Our most faithful companion’s role in sniffing out these threats deserves equal attention.

“Since World War I, trained war dogs have carried messages across battlefields, guided medics to wounded soldiers, and located hidden tunnels,” explains Perry F. Baltimore III, Executive Director of the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI), a U.S. NGO that enlists public support to donate MDDs for use in post-conflict demining and ERW clearance. “In the past two decades or so, methodologies to train dogs to sniff out the explosive odors found in landmines has also led to the use of MDDs—canine heroes who have a critical role in humanitarian demining. Their part in saving lives and helping restore war-torn land to productive use is beyond measure.”

Each MDD is paired with a trained human handler who maintains constant visual contact and leash control as the dog searches for mines or ERW. The MDD’s focus and calm reaction to suspected devices is extremely important, and results from training that begins after it is 12 months old. When the MDD’s sensitive nose detects the scent of explosives or other chemicals leaking from a landmine or ERW, it immediately stops and sits before the suspect object. That signals the deminer, who uses a metal detector or other means to verify if a mine or ERW has been located.

Due to their intelligence, physique, and temperament, Belgian Malinois are the breed used most often as MDDs. Generally, their professional life span averages from six to eight years.

“Belgian Malinois are the service dogs we normally select and train for humanitarian demining and other specialized tasks too,” comments Nermin Hadžimujagić, Director of the Mine Detection Dog Center (MDDC), an NGO located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “There are occasions where extreme climate or harsh terrain rule out the use of any breed of MDDs. But MDDs can operate in most places human deminers work, and help safely speed the rate at which landmines and ERW are found.”

“It can be difficult for handlers to maintain non-stop visual contact with MDDs especially in undergrowth, jungles, and urban environments,” observes Per Håkon Breivik, NPA’s Director of Humanitarian Disarmament. “Such is the case in Iraq, Lebanon, and Cambodia, for instance, where NPA’s landmine and BAC programs are funded by PM/WRA. To overcome those obstacles, NPA is conducting tests with GPS and small video cameras mounted to an MDD so the handler can monitor the dog’s movements and signals even when it’s temporarily out of sight. Our tests are promising and may result in less time expended on clearing access lanes and more effort devoted to actual detection and clearance.”

Retired MDDs are often adopted by their handlers, with whom they have a special bond. If the handler is unable to adopt the MDD, others willing to offer a safe, loving home with proper care can also provide a pleasant retirement.

The next time you observe a seeing eye dog at work or have your luggage sniffed by a customs enforcement dog at an airport, remember that these service animals have counterparts who are seeking landmines on former battlefields. They are the dogs of peace.

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### Senior Managers’ Course in Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Senior Managers’ Course (SMC), organized by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR) at James Madison University (JMU) and funded by PM/WRA, brings together senior-level managers from HMA and CWD programs from countries contaminated with explosive hazards for an intensive management training course. The SMC integrates the latest knowledge in the field of business management with the practical experience required of ERW and HMA managers. During three weeks of classroom instruction and field visits, participants refine their management and strategic planning skills; share expertise and best practices in CWD; and develop a professional network for collaboration with colleagues, international experts, JMU faculty, CISR staff, and donor representatives. Experienced faculty partners from JMU’s College of Business, subject-matter experts from the field of CWD, and CISR’s resident experts provide specialized instruction for the course. Graduates of the SMC bring back strategic insight to their organizations, enabling them to lead their programs more effectively and efficiently to clear landmines and ERW contamination in their respective countries.

From the first course held in 2004 through to the 2019 course, CISR has trained 311 senior managers representing 49 countries. Prior to 2010, the SMC was sponsored by the United Nations Development Program. Beginning in 2010, PM/WRA has sponsored the SMC, including global courses held on the JMU campus, and a series of regionally-focused SMCs hosted with the help of local implementing partners in Tajikistan, Vietnam, and Croatia.

In 2019, CISR hosted a Global SMC at JMU in Harrisonburg, Virginia, to bring together 19 senior managers working in Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Iraq, Laos, Libya, Solomon Islands, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Vietnam, and one participant representing several Western African countries. In addition to course instruction, participants visited the HDTC at Fort Lee, Virginia. Additional subject-matter expertise was delivered by Fenix-Insight LLC, PM/WRA, the U.S. Department of Defense’s HD R&D Program, and a number of NGOs.

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### U.S. Department of State Quick Reaction Force: Providing Rapid Response to CWD Emergencies

*QRF works with Sierra Leonean armed forces to safely dispose of unstable munitions. Photo courtesy of Golden West.*

The Quick Reaction Force (QRF) is a team of civilian EOD technical experts that serve as PM/WRA’s first responders to unexpected CWD-related emergencies across the globe, including munitions depot explosions, ammunition depots at risk of imminent explosion, and ERW that pose significant threats to civilians. These situations require immediate action to secure or dispose of poorly-secured or unstable munitions, prevent loss of life, protect critical infrastructure, and conduct needs assessments for further CWD activities. The QRF can begin to respond to these threats worldwide in as few as 48 hours.