The data was provided by the director-general of the National Agency for Action against Mines (ANAM) of Angola, Brigadier Leonardo Sapalo, according to whom the institution and partners have discovered new mined areas in several locations in the country.
Given the "considerable number" of areas to be cleared, Angola "feels forced" to present the third request for an extension of the deadline for complying with the demining of all known mined areas, he said.
Leonardo Sapalo stated that the extension of the deadline comes under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Anti-Personnel Mines (Ottawa Treaty), since Angola is "just a few months away from the end of the current period for complying with the obligations of this Convention".
The official, who was speaking during a meeting entitled "Angola without mines in opportunities and challenges", promoted by ANAM and the Belgian Embassy in Angola, said that the estimated cost for completing demining in the country "is still high".
Without revealing figures, he assured, however, that the Executive "will continue to mobilize and make available the necessary resources, also counting on the valuable support of the international community".
According to Sapalalo, the reduction in accidents involving mines and other explosive devices, the free movement of people and goods, the resettlement of populations and the expansion of urban centres, the expansion of and access to land for agriculture and pastoralism, and the demining of areas for the construction of public infrastructure are among Angola's achievements after the ratification of the Ottawa Treaty in July 2002.
"These actions demonstrate the commitment of the Government of Angola and its partners to comply with the obligations inherent in the Convention and to ensure that populations can have access to land and use it safely," he stressed.
The Belgian ambassador to Angola, Stéphane Doppagne, assured, in his speech, continued support for the efforts of the Angolan authorities in the country's demining process, expressing hope for a "prosperous and mine-free Angola".
"This inspiring hope has been captured in a powerful way and is a testament to the resilience of the Angolan people and their determination to build a better future," said the Belgian diplomat, whose country is one of the main funders of the mine action programme in Angola.
