Swiss Foundation for Mine Action

The Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) is a Swiss non-governmental organisation based in Geneva. ("FSD" stands for Fondation suisse de déminage, the french name of the organisation). FSD is politically, ideologically and religiously independent.

Activities
FSD focuses on clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) so that people can return to a normal life. The main activities are the following:


 * Humanitarian mine clearance
 * Training of deminers
 * Prevention of accidents by providing mine safety training and mine awareness seminars
 * Destruction of stockpiles of landmines and arms
 * Decontamination of sites for humanitarian aims

Organization
FSD employs 10 staff in the Geneva headquarters and 60 international experts as well as 600 national deminers in the field (2005). The yearly budget amounts to 18 million Swiss Francs (roughly USD 15 million) in 2005. Major sources of financing are public and private funds, but also multi-lateral organisations such as the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Organisation for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

World-wide operation
In 2005, FSD has led demining operations in Tajikistan, Sri Lanka and Laos, as well as Sudan and Burundi. Previously, FSD has intervened in Bosnia, Croatia, Albania; Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan; in the Philippines; in Angola and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and elsewhere.