Angola is seeking $240 million in government or donor support to clear nearly 1,000 minefields left over from the civil war that concluded more than 20 years ago, according to the head of the National Mine Action Agency.
The landmines, which were laid during the 27-year conflict that lasted until 2002, have resulted in disabilities for many individuals and continue to pose dangers. Numerous people remain displaced due to the presence of these minefields.
Approximately 975 minefields require clearance, with demining operations costing an average of $3.10 per square meter, leading to the total funding requirement of $240 million, as stated by Brigadier General Leonardo Sapalo, the agency’s director.
Around 192 of these minefields are located near the Benguela Railway, an essential part of the Lobito Corridor—a U.S.-supported rail initiative designed to connect the resource-rich Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to the port of Lobito in Angola for the export of minerals and other commodities.
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“The railway has been fully demined to allow for its rehabilitation. While trains are operating, there are still specific areas that have not been entirely cleared of mines,” Sapalo remarked during a visit by Western ambassadors to the British charity HALO Trust, which aids in landmine clearance efforts.
“The work is ongoing, but we need to revitalize it.”
The demining efforts along the Lobito Corridor have already successfully removed 43,142 anti-personnel mines, 2,460 anti-tank mines, and 235,050 unexploded ordnance, as reported by the HALO Trust.
