The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) has announced a grant competition for demining and clearing war remnants in frontline regions of Ukraine. The projects should focus on non-technical and/or technical land surveys and include public awareness initiatives on mine threats.
Kharkiv region has been designated as a priority, as 55 out of its 56 communities have been affected by the war. It was also selected as a pilot area for an automated land prioritization system using Palantir’s IT solution.
“This is the first time a partner country is directly funding the demining of our lands while involving Ukrainian mine action operators. I believe this cooperation will accelerate the process of identifying and clearing contaminated areas and strengthen collaboration not only at the institutional level but also between organizations and companies striving to make Ukraine’s land safer,” said First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko.
The total budget for the competition is €6 million, with a maximum of €1.8 million per project. Only non-profit organizations are eligible to apply, though they can partner with commercial mine action operators.
Applications will be accepted until May 11, and projects are expected to run for up to 15 months.
