Zimbabwe's efforts to clear landmines and explosive remnants of the war have been delayed due to a lack of funding and disruptions by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The landmines were put in by Rhodesian colonial forces during the fight for independence in the 1970s to stop freedom fighters from moving to and from Zambia and Mozambique.
The government has been working towards achieving a landmine-free environment by December 2025 however the deadline has been pushed to 2028 due to financial challenges.
Speaking at the national stakeholders' dialogue on humanitarian demining and mine victim assistance Tuesday, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri said changes in financial support from international donors have affected the demining project.
"Our projection was to complete demining by December 2025. This is no longer realisable due to challenges associated with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and fluctuation in funding from the international donor community.
"As a result, we are working on submitting another three-year extension request to the Secretariat of the Treaty.
"The funding gap as at September 2024 and completion of mine clearance in Zimbabwe by 2028 was US$23.79 million." Muchinguri said.
She added that the government will keep funding the demining project.
"On its part, the Government of Zimbabwe will continue to fund the National Mine Clearance Unit which requires a minimum of US$2,000,000 per year.
"It is our hope that deliberations during this workshop will help unlock funding for mine action in Zimbabwe as completion of mine clearance hinged on sustained funding from the government and current and new donors.
"Completion of mine clearance in Zimbabwe will not only help enhance safety and security in affected communities but will also go a long way in unlocking sustainable socio-economic development," she added.
Since 1980, landmines have killed or injured over 1,500 people, while more than 120,000 livestock have also died as a result.
These minefields are in six provinces--Matabeleland North, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Manicaland, and Masvingo--covering 310,650 square kilometers.
