Innovation in mine action is no longer a choice but a vital part of making mine action more efficient and effective. Reducing the threat of landmines and other explosive ordnance takes more than incremental improvements — it calls for new ideas, methods and technologies that prove effective in real-world operations.
The Mine Action Innovation Hub connects people, ideas and resources to collectively drive innovation that accelerates progress towards a world free from the threat of explosive ordnance.
The Hub is an open community that brings together national authorities, operators, researchers, technology developers and donors to solve real operational problems together. Through its activities, it convenes experts, generates and shares knowledge, champions needs-based innovation, and helps the sector test, evaluate and scale promising solutions.
Strategic approach 2027–2030
Where we are heading. Our Strategic Approach 2027–2030 sets out the Hub’s vision: a shared ambition for needs-based innovation that stays accountable to affected communities and grounded in operational reality — and the priorities that will deliver it.
Our five strategic priorities:
Connecting local needs with global expertise
Strengthen nationally led innovation, helping authorities and operators identify needs and connect to the networks and resources that meet them.
Strengthening knowledge exchange
Build a coherent, sector-wide knowledge system that captures and shares innovation insights, including through AI-assisted tools and research briefs.
Enabling sustainable funding for innovation
Develop a shared understanding of financing gaps and enable more predictable, stage-appropriate support across the innovation lifecycle.
Broadening innovation beyond technology
Extend the focus of innovation from tools themselves to the methods, practices and human capacities that make them work, from risk and quality management to decision-making and prioritisation
Accelerating innovation adoption
Improve how the sector tests, evaluates, validates and scales solutions so that promising pilots reach sustained operational use.
How the Hub works
The Hub is multistakeholder, collaborative and inclusive in nature. It works through two complementary bodies and a set of activities.
Strategic Steering Board (SSB)
A multi-stakeholder body of senior representatives that sets the long-term vision and strategic priorities for research and innovation. It is a closed group that meets twice a year.
Innovation Technical Group (ITG)
The Innovation Technical Group is the operational arm of the Innovation Hub. It brings together experts, researchers, technologists, national authorities and operators. Together they identify and discuss the sector’s requirements, analyze and evaluate technologies, products and processes that could answer those requirements, and promote partnerships that support scaling of viable innovative solutions. The group meets regularly, both online and in-person. For specific tasks or activities, thematic subgroups are established with a dedicated team. Subgroups are voluntary, member-led and time-bound.
Terms of reference & workplan
Minutes of meeting and Agendas
Access meeting agendas and minutes to stay informed about discussions, decisions, and key updates.
20260528, 5th ITG Meeting (online), Explosive substances detection
20251031, 3rd ITG Meeting (Luxembourg)
20250317, 2nd ITG Meeting (online), Robotics in mine action
20241205, 1st ITG Meeting (online)
20240523, ITG Preparatory Meeting (online)
Upcoming events
Innovation Session 2026
In-person
Organized under the Mine Action Innovation Hub, the Innovation Session 2026: Mine Action in Urban Areas is a three-day, in-person event bringing together mine action practitioners, national authorities, debris management and recovery actors, urban planners, researchers, technology providers, and donors.
ITG Meeting: Needs-finding and case-study development - hosted by the Serbian Mine Action Center (SMAC)
In-person meeting
Innovation Conference 2027
In person
Coming Soon
Innovation activities
The Hub convenes the sector through conferences, focused innovation sessions and an open Innovation Award — creating space to exchange, generate ideas and turn them into concrete projects.
News & opportunities
Discover opportunities to collaborate through innovation challenges, calls for proposals, partnership opportunities, and community updates.
Website
Minesight Technologies Excavation Challenge — open challenge with a focus on Ukraine
An international competition to develop compact, remote excavation systems for humanitarian demining.
Website
UNDP Underwater EO Challenge — ITG members joined the evaluation panel.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a global innovation challenge to identify bold, practical solutions that can help crisis-affected communities recover and rebuild.
Innovation Team
Pedro Basto
Programme Manager, Research and Innovation
Alain Nellen
Advisor, Research and Innovation
Boris Ohanyan
Programme Officer, Research and Innovation
Igor Karpachev
Advisor, Research and Innovation
Kinda Samra
Project Coordinator, Research and Innovation
Radwa Rabie
Advisor, Research and InnovationJoin the community
To ask a question, contribute to the ITG, or join our mailing list, contact Boris Ohanyan b.ohanyan@gichd.org or innovation@gichd.org
Donors
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) Switzerland
Luxembourg Aid & Development
The European Union