Angola in need of USD 300 million to clear land mines

World
Europe

The government of Angola announced that over $300 million is needed by the National Inter-sectoral Commission for Demining (CNIDAH) to be able to clear about 174 kilometres of the Angolan territory of landmines by the year 2025.

The information was given by the CNIDAH representative Adriano Gonçalves, during a mine co-ordination meeting dubbed ‘Agenda 2025'.

In 2018, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), released a report which stated that Angola is among the twelve countries where the level of landmines presence is still deemed “massive”, with about 147.6 square kilometres needing demining intervention.

Towards the process of eradication of landmines, the country in 2017 managed to clear about 1.2 square kilometers and destroyed about 3,546 landmines.

Adriano Gonçalves disclosed that Cuando Cubango, Moxico, Cuanza Sul, Bié, Benguela and Lunda Norte are the provinces with the highest quantity of landmines.

He added that the provinces that can be considered free of mines are Malange and Huambo.

In May 2017, Angola presented a request to extend its demining programme until 31 December 2025. The request was granted during the 16th meeting of the “Agenda 2025” member states.

The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates that there are 110 million anti-personnel mines in the ground and another 250 million stockpiled across the world today.

Once mined, landmines do not go away until they are removed. They deprive some of the poorest people around the world access to arable land, markets, schools, work and water.