Following the completion of Phases I and II, TDI is now engaged on Phase III of the Eastern Border Mine Clearance project which extends from Ardahan to Ağrı (Doğubayazıt) along the border with Armenia and Iran, a distance of almost 170km, and includes 96 minefields containing over 80,000 landmines. The project continues to be funded by the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey and will be managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkey.
Turkey became a member of the Ottawa Treaty in March 2004 and agreed to clear the landmines that were once used to curtail illegal smuggling and cross-border movement, and replace them with a new, modernised border management system. The project employs 300 people, both Turkish and internationals, many of whom are directly engaged in the clearance of the minefields, and the remainder providing the support necessary to maintain operations. This project provides a significant boost to the local economies in the areas in which the teams are working, through the employment of local people and purchasing supplies and services from local companies.
