The United Kingdom has announced an additional USD 5.5 million in funding to aid landmine clearance in Zimbabwe's Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central provinces.
The initiative aims to enhance safety in these regions and promote awareness of the lingering dangers posed by landmines.
The funding, allocated to the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and The HALO Trust (HALO), is set to play a crucial role in Zimbabwe's goal of achieving a landmine-free status by 2025.
Clearing landmines will not only save lives but also make land available for agriculture, housing, and essential social services, thereby fostering economic development.
The demining operations will also create employment opportunities, particularly for women, in the affected communities.
During a visit to Rushinga in Mashonaland Central Province, the British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pete Vowles, emphasized the significance of this contribution.
"I want to salute the bravery and dedication of the deminers working to create safe and secure environments in Mashonaland East and Central. The UK remains committed in its determination to work towards a mine-free world and is delighted to award this extra funding to MAG and The HALO Trust so they can continue to protect lives and open up opportunities for economic development for affected communities," said Ambassador Vowles.
The HALO Trust, one of the key recipients of this funding, welcomed the support.
Oliver Gerard-Pearse, HALO Zimbabwe Programme Manager, highlighted the impact this funding will have on local communities.
"With this continued support from the UK Government HALO will be able to ensure that fewer children in Rushinga and Mudzi are forced to choose between walking through a minefield or receiving an education. And fewer parents will have to choose between feeding their families or working their farmland close to dangerous explosives. We are very grateful for the life-saving collaboration between the UK Government, The HALO Trust, Mines Advisory Group, and the Government and people of Zimbabwe that this funding represents," he said
This new funding follows the UK Government's Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP) announcement in February 2024, which provided USD 22.2 million for mine clearance efforts in eight countries, including Zimbabwe. Under the latest allocation, MAG will focus on clearance and risk education in Mashonaland East, while HALO will extend its services in both Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East.
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Background on Landmines in Zimbabwe
Landmines were laid in Zimbabwe during the 1970s by the former white minority government, and the remnants of these explosives continue to pose a threat.
An estimated 18.3 square kilometers of land remains contaminated, classified as "medium" by the Mine Action Review.
Zimbabwe is one of the few countries actively striving to meet the 2025 clearance deadline established under the Ottawa Convention.
The UK has been a long-standing supporter of Zimbabwe's demining efforts through the GMAP program, with financial assistance starting in 2016.
Under the current phase, the GMAP will provide a total of USD 5.5 million, including USD 1.4 million for the current financial year and USD 4.1 million for the next.
This allocation makes Zimbabwe the second-largest recipient of UK demining funds for FY 24/25, trailing only Ukraine.
