Angola: Land Mines

Angola: Land Mines
International Development
Written answers and statements, 25 November 2010

Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development
(1) what reports he has received of the number of fatalities as a result of landmine explosions in the areas of Angola in respect of which his Department funded mine clearance in the last five years;
(2) how many mines were cleared in each area of Angola in respect of which his Department funded mine clearance in the last five years;
(3) which areas of Angola will be affected by the implementation of his decision to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in that country;
(4) for what reasons he decided to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in Angola;
(5) what impact assessment he has undertaken of his proposal to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in Angola.
- Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 25 November 2010, c388W)
Alan Duncan (Minister of State, International Development; Rutland and Melton, Conservative)
Mine clearance programmes in Angola funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) cleared around 6,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines in 2005, 8,000 in 2006, 11,500 in 2007, 12,000 in 2008 and 7,000 in 2009. From 2009, work was concentrated in Kuando Kubango province, with smaller programmes in Bie, Huambo and Benguela. In addition DFID has funded clearance in Moxico province, clearing a further 3,059 items in 2009-10.
The demining work DFID has supported in Angola has made large areas of land accessible to local civilian populations. It is our assessment that the majority of mines remaining in Angola are in more remote areas where there is less impact on civilian populations. Angola's Inter-sectoral Commission on Demining and Humanitarian Assistance (CNIDAH) reported that annual casualties decreased from around 250 per year in 2002-05 to around 50 by 2008. Landmine Monitor 2010 identified 28 casualties in Angola, a relatively small percentage of the worldwide total of 3,956.
While there is still work to be done, Angola is a middle income country, with national authorities that are well placed to complete this work. Our work aims to support demining that contributes to development, help governments assume increasing responsibility for resolving problems caused by mines and improve value for money through increased efficiency. Ceasing funding to Angola will allow us to allocate more resources to mine-affected countries where our funding will have greater development impact.
Quelle: www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/ (25.11.2010)