According to the annual study by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, based in the Swiss city, in 2022 Angola cleared a total of 5.87 square kilometers and destroyed 3342 explosive devices (compared to 5.91 square kilometers cleared in 2021 and 3617 mines destroyed), records well below the 17 square kilometers of annual land liberation foreseen in its demining plan.
"Angola's annual land release since 2019 has been lower than the projected annual land release of 17 square kilometers, detailed in its work plan for 2019-2025", points out the report.
"Angola declared that it is making every effort to meet its deadline" currently set for the total clearance of its territory – December 31, 2025 –, but "it is believed that it will realistically be able to complete the demining of known minefields by 2028, with the possibility of extending the deadline until 2030, depending on the availability of funds", highlights the study.
The report reports 107 victims of incidents involving this type of explosive in 2022 in Angola, but does not specify the number of deaths and injuries or whether they were civilians, military personnel or personnel belonging to organizations specializing in demining operations.
Children constituted almost half (49 percent) of civilian victims and just over a third (35 percent) of all victims in 2022 worldwide, in records whose age group is known.
Angola was also the 13th country that received the most international financial assistance in 2022, around 12 million dollars, and a total of 54.9 million dollars between 2018 and 2022, an amount that places it in 15th place in the ranking of most supported countries.
Angola has not provided any information about its national contribution in 2022 to its demining program, although it financially supports the National Mine Action Agency (ANAM).
The Government is also the largest donor to the HALO Trust Foundation, which operates in the country to demine protected areas along the Okavango Delta, in the province of Cuando Cubango.
Two other Portuguese-speaking African countries appear referenced in the study, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau, for different reasons.
Mozambique was declared mine-free in 2015, but faces "a possible threat of contamination from improvised explosive devices" introduced by insurgents in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
The study gives relevance to two incidents with these explosives that occurred in March 2023, referred to by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Despite being declared mine-free in 2015, Mozambique has, on the other hand, since then, recorded "residual and isolated contamination by mines throughout the country", namely "four small suspicious areas" identified in 2018, totaling 1881 square meters , located underwater in the province of Inhambane.
"Mozambique declared that it would address this contamination as soon as the water level receded and allowed access", but "did not provide further updates on the progress made in these areas since 2019", says the study.
Guinea-Bissau declared that it had fulfilled its demining obligations in December 2012, but in 2021 it reported the presence of "previously unknown mined areas" containing anti-personnel mines, anti-vehicle mines and explosive remnants of war (ERG).
The country registered a total of nine areas proven to be mined in the provinces of Cacheu and Oio, in the north, and in the provinces of Quebo and Tombali, in the south. Another 43 zones were suspected of containing mines and explosive ordnance.
Guinea-Bissau reported that the nine proven contaminated areas total 1.09 square kilometers, but did not add information on the other 43 suspected areas.
