UN mine action chiefs for Ethiopia and Sudan call for more funding

The humanitarian and economic toll of landmine contamination across Ethiopia and Sudan has reached a critical juncture, with United Nations mine action coordinators issuing urgent appeals for substantially increased international funding. This escalating crisis presents both severe risks and emerging opportunities for European investors and entrepreneurs operating across the Horn of Africa region. Ethiopia and Sudan remain among the world's most heavily mined territories, with decades of conflict having scattered millions of unexploded ordnance across civilian populations. The UN's warning carries particular weight given that children represent a disproportionately large casualty profile—a metric that underscores how pervasive and indiscriminate these hazards have become. Beyond the immediate humanitarian tragedy, this contamination creates formidable barriers to economic reconstruction, agricultural recovery, and infrastructure development that European businesses depend upon for market expansion. The geopolitical context amplifies the urgency. Ethiopia's conflict with Tigray forces and Sudan's ongoing civil strife have displaced millions and rendered vast territorial expanses inaccessible for commercial activity. Mine-contaminated zones effectively partition markets, restrict supply chain routes, and impose substantial insurance and security costs on any enterprise attempting operations in affected regions. For European agribusinesses, manufacturers, and logistics firms eyeing East African expansion, these constraints translate directly into operational complexity and