US GOVERNMENT PROVIDES $3 MILLION FOR DEMINING IN ANGOLA

US EMBASSY

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION

LUANDA, ANGOLA 

PRESS RELEASE 

For Immediate Release                                                                                  September 27, 2019

US GOVERNMENT PROVIDES $3 MILLION FOR DEMINING IN ANGOLA

The US Embassy in Luanda is pleased to announce that the United States Government will accelerate ongoing demining projects in Angola by providing additional funds to support HALO Trust and Mines Advisory Group (MAG) organizations, operanting  in Bié and in Moxico provinces.

The additional funding of USD 3 million will expand HALO Trust’s operations under an ongoing U.S.-funded project, enabling HALO Trust to field two additional demining teams and clear another eight high-priority minefields in Cuemba municipality in the province of Bié.

In Moxico Province, the funding will support MAG to deploy manual and mechanical demining teams to survey and clear nine high-priority minefields in the Luena, Luzi, and Kamanongue communes.  In total, the additional funding of USD 3 million aims to return an additional 849,000 square meters of contaminated land to productive use.

The United States continues to be the largest bilateral donor for humanitarian demining, now providing $134 million in assistance since 1995.  This assistance has resulted in the destruction of over 26,000 landmines, directly benefitting over 1.4 million people.  It directly supports greater opportunities for ecotourism and other investment opportunities in the Okavango and other parts of Angola.