New UNHDA Board elected and key decisions adopted: outcomes of the mine action operators' meeting

A working meeting of national mine action operators was held at the UDS conference hall in Kyiv. The event was organized by the Ukrainian National Humanitarian Demining Association (UNHDA) and brought together representatives of the sector to discuss key priorities for the development, coordination, and advocacy of mine action in Ukraine.

During the meeting, the results of the Association's recent General Assembly were announced, including the election of the new governing body.

Oleksandr Romaniuk, Acting Chief Executive Officer of UDS, was elected Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian National Humanitarian Demining Association (UNHDA).

The newly elected members of the UNHDA Board are:

1. Yan Artiukhov (Charitable Foundation Demining of Ukraine)
2. Serhii Petrenko (International Demining Group LLC)
3. Valerii Dema (Humanitarian Safety LLC)
4. Dmytro Myronenko (Safe Ground Solutions LLC)

The meeting was held in the format of an open and productive discussion, during which participants addressed the sector's key challenges and agreed on a joint action plan.

Agenda and key discussion topics

🔹 Declaration of Integrity – establishing common principles of business ethics, transparency, the existing national standardization system (DSTU 8820 series and Technical Committee 322), and methodologies for determining the cost of humanitarian demining services.

🔹 Qualification Criteria and Public Procurement – discussion of proposals to refine qualification requirements for participants in public procurement procedures and the application of the restricted tender procedure under Section VI of the Law of Ukraine "On Public Procurement."

🔹 Legal Support and Business Protection – development of mechanisms for legal protection of mine action operators, cooperation with regulatory authorities, and comprehensive legal support.

🔹 Strengthening UNHDA Capacity – attracting new members and partners, updating the Association's communications strategy, and improving the membership fee system.

🔹 Subcontracting Framework – developing unified approaches to engaging subcontractors, defining their responsibilities, and strengthening quality assurance.

🔹 Professional Development and Capacity Building for Mine Action Operators – presentation of a partnership proposal from the Academy of Professional Development aimed at supporting operators' competencies and establishing a sustainable internal training system in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS).

🔹 Special Insurance Solutions for UNHDA Members – presentation of dedicated insurance programmes covering war risks, third-party liability, and deminers' insurance.

"Communication among UNHDA members has reached a truly constructive level. A united voice for the sector, clear rules of engagement, and mutual support are exactly what enable us to respond quickly and effectively to the industry's most complex challenges," said Oleksii Botnarenko, Chairman of the UNHDA.

Representatives of the following organizations participated in the meeting:

Safe Ground Solutions LLC, Humanitarian Safety LLC, Humanitarian Demining of Ukraine LLC, Deminix LLC, Demining Solutions LLC, International Demining Group LLC, Intertrade-Ukraine Limited LLC, International Demining Service LLC, PSM Ukraine Group LLC, Demining Without Borders LLC, Mega-Polis Insurance Agency LLC, Ukrainian Demining Agency LLC, Falcon Demine LLC, Center for Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Land Rehabilitation LLC, Demining Center of Ukraine LLC, Ukrainian Demining Group LLC, Ukroboronservice State Enterprise, National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute", the Security, Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response Department of NIBULON JV LLC, Axel Legal Law Firm, the Demining of Ukraine Charitable Foundation, and the Ukrainian Deminers Association.

As a reminder, UDS has been a member of the Ukrainian National Humanitarian Demining Association (UNHDA) since 2024. Recently, Oleksandr Romaniuk, Acting Chief Executive Officer of UDS, was elected Chairman of the Board of the Association.

The Ukrainian National Humanitarian Demining Association (UNHDA) is a non-governmental association that brings together organizations operating in Ukraine's mine action sector. Its shared mission is to facilitate the rapid, safe, and high-quality clearance of explosive ordnance from Ukraine's territory—a mission fully aligned with the values and objectives of UDS.