Malanje – Angola needs a total of 209 million US dollars to acquire various pieces of equipment and means for demining the country and making it mine-free, the national demining coordinator, Edgar Lourenço said Thursday.
The statement was made during a consultation meeting of the Malanje Municipal Administration Council on the level of contamination of mines and other explosive devices.
He explained that at the moment the country controls 1, 16 suspected mine zones, comprising 67.4 million square meters, which need to be cleared, adding that the government intends to make the country free of mines in at least seven provinces by 2025.
Edgar Lourenço said there is currently an intervention plan, involving non-governmental organizations in the provinces where mine clearance operations are taking place, in addition to gradually strengthening the capacity of operators in most affected regions.
The head of the National Mine Action Agency (ANAM) in Malanje, Sérgio Ngunza, on his turn, pointed out that 71 new potentially mine-suspected areas have been identified in the province, in 10 of the 14 municipalities, with the exception of Kunda-dya-baze, Kiwaba Nzoji, Cahombo and Quirima.
Consultation meetings on the problem of mines were held simultaneously in the municipalities of Quela, Luquembo and Cangandala, with the participation of members of the Local Community Consultation Councils, defense and security bodies, among others. RM/NC/PBC/TED/AMP
