Angola is on the verge of declaring Huambo and Benguela provinces mine-free later this year. Despite clearing 5 million explosive devices and a substantial area, challenges remain, including 975 additional demining areas and financial needs for operations. The deadline for complete mine removal under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention is December 31, 2023.
Demining efforts in Angola are set to achieve a significant milestone, as the director-general of the National Mine Action Agency (ANAM), Leonardo Severino Sapalo, anticipates declaring the provinces of Huambo and Benguela free from mines later this year. His statement followed a visit by an international delegation to observe the work accomplished by the British NGO, the HALO Trust, which has been active in Angola since 1994.
This international delegation’s visit was part of a broader tour of the Lobito Corridor, a crucial economic and railway project extending approximately 1,300 kilometers from the Port of Lobito to the Zambian border. The project has successfully led to the clearance and destruction of 43,142 anti-personnel mines, 2,460 anti-tank mines, and 235,050 unexploded ordnance across the corridor.
Despite progress, there remain at least 192 known minefields in the adjacent municipalities of Biè and Moxico provinces, according to HALO Trust. Additionally, nationwide efforts indicate that 975 areas still require demining, a reduction from over 1,000 reported at the end of 2023. Sapalo emphasized the need for significant funding to equip national demining units with the necessary logistical and technical capabilities.
The cost of demining stands at approximately $3.10 per square meter, translating to nearly $240 million for about 70 million square meters of known mined areas. Current funding sources include the General State Budget of Angola and international support, though there remains a risk of discovering additional mined areas.
Decades of conflict in Angola, which began with Portuguese colonization and extended through a civil war, have left the country littered with an estimated 9 to 20 million landmines. While around 5 million explosive devices have been cleared thus far, challenges remain to fulfill commitments under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, ratified shortly after the civil war ended in April 2002. The latest deadline for total clearance is set for December 31 of this year.
The demining efforts in the Huambo and Benguela provinces of Angola are nearing completion, demonstrating significant progress in addressing the legacy of landmines left from decades of conflict. However, ongoing challenges related to funding, the potential for undiscovered mines, and the presence of remaining minefields highlight the continued need for international support and resources. The efforts aim to fulfill the obligations of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention before the year’s end.
Original Source: macaonews.org
