U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Administrator Mark Green, responding to written inquiries from Representative Brad Sherman, noted that more than 125,000 people have benefited from the HALO Trust’s de-mining and mine-education work in Artsakh, committing to “completing demining [Artsakh] as quickly, and as thoroughly, as possible,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

During March 21, 2018 testimony before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Administrator Green fielded a broad range of inquiries and also took a number of written “Questions For The Record” from members of the panel. 

“The United States provides demining assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh (N-K) through a project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by HALO Trust. As of September 2017, with only 27 known active minefields remaining, HALO Trust has cleared 97.6 percent of the mined areas within the traditional N-K Autonomous Oblast.  Our ultimate goal is to be able to declare traditional N-K mine-clear. More than 125,000 people have benefited from these interventions, which save lives, prevent injuries, generate local jobs, and promote economic rehabilitation.  In October 2017, USAID reprogrammed approximately $2.8 million for N-K demining, which will extend demining activities until September 2019, when USAID assistance for de-mining under the current award and partnership with HALO Trust will be complete.  We remain focused on completing demining as quickly, and as thoroughly, as possible,” Green said in his written response.