TUESDAY, 6.00PM
THE European Union on Tuesday announced it is to fund a Southern African initiative to eliminate deadly landmines from the region, and especially in Mozambique and Angola.
The EU contribution of 2,07-million European Currency Units (about $2,35-million) will cover the use of satellite and other technology to locate and count the estimated 20-million landmines in the region.
And South African foreign minister Alfred Nzo announced yesterday that South Africa will contribute R12 million to cleaning up mines in Mozambique, with the contract awarded to the South African company Mechem, a subsidiary of weapons manufacturer Denel.
Southern Africa is the most mine-infested region of the world, according to Kaire Mbuende, executive secretary of the 12-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC). He said an ad hoc committee has been set up by countries affected by landmines, namely Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The committee is to look at such projects as technology inventory, treatment and rehabilitation of landmine victims, the creation of a management database, specialist training, and support for regional input to the ban on the use of landmines.
Mbuende said the EU funds will be used to develop co-ordinated national de-mining projects, adding that SADC hopes the UN and NGO communities active in demining the region will eventually join the SADC initiative.