Sri Lanka

In 2024, Sri Lanka’s survey and clearance output remained broadly the same as the previous year (based on revised 2023 data provided by Sri Lanka in October 2025), but the contamination baseline rose as the National Completion Survey uncovered previously unknown mined areas. A mid-term review of the Completion Strategy in 2025 confirmed that meeting Sri Lanka’s original Article 5 deadline of June 2028 is no longer feasible, citing newly identified contamination, larger-than-expected minefields, reduced capacity, funding shortfalls, and high staff turnover. Sri Lanka is therefore expected to request an extension to its Article 5 deadline, with any realistic new deadline dependent on securing sustained funding and resources.

• Sri Lanka should set a realistic Article 5 deadline by reassessing remaining contamination levels and operational capacity and engaging international partners for sustained funding and other support.
• Sri Lanka should ensure all of its national mine action standards (NMAS) are brought up to date and review all operator Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in line with the updated NMAS without further delay, as was supposed to have occurred in 2023 according to its Completion Strategy 2023–2027.
• Greater efforts should be made to ensure that the national database is up to date and accurate.
• Sri Lanka should finalise and publish its long-awaited resource mobilisation strategy, with clear funding targets to at least the end of 2027.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2025" report for Sri Lanka.