Global Neglect Leaves Angola Trapped In A Cycle Of Destruction

Decades after the civil war in Angola ended, its land remains littered with deadly reminders of past conflicts: landmines. These silent killers persist to claim lives and cause disabilities, creating a hidden war that the country fights daily.

Tragically, this is not just a relic of history but a reflection of global neglect and misplaced priorities. While nations like Angola struggle with their deadly legacies, potent countries like the United States are supplying mines to Ukraine, perpetuating a cycle of destruction. This stark contrast underscores the need for the international community to rethink its priorities.

Angola's current crisis is staggering in its scope. With over 73 million square meters of contaminated land and more than 1,100 known minefields, Angola ranks as one of the most heavily mined nations in the world. The human cost is equally dire over 88,000 people have been injured or disabled by mines and unexploded ordnance. Incidents, such as the tragic deaths of three children in August 2024 who mistook a mine for a toy, highlight how these weapons persist to shatter lives decades after being planted.

Efforts to clear Angola’s landmines have been plagued by inefficiency and lack of funding. Between 2005 and 2017, international demining contributions to Angola fell by over 80%, severely slowing progress. The situation worsened in 2022, as funding was redirected to Ukraine’s conflict. Organizations such as HALO Trust, APOPO, and Mines Advisory Group, working alongside Angola’s National Demining Institute, have faced criticism for their inability to meet deadlines. Originally tasked with clearing Angola’s land by 2013 under the Ottawa Treaty, the target has now been pushed back to 2028, with many doubting even this deadline will be achieved.

Meanwhile, peaceful nations like Angola and Cambodia are left to deal with decades-old landmine contamination without sufficient resources. Cambodia, too, struggles with millions of mines left from its conflicts in the 20th century. Despite aiming to complete demining by 2025, the country’s efforts remain slow, hindered by limited funding. The global focus on Ukraine has further siphoned away resources that could save lives in these nations.

In Ukraine, the planting of landmines has reached unprecedented levels. Estimates suggest that up to 2 million mines have been deployed since the conflict began in 2022, contaminating 156,000 square kilometers of land.

Clearing these mines is expected to cost over pound;40 billion, a massive undertaking that draws attention and funding away from older crises. The United States and other Western nations have pledged billions in military aid to Ukraine, yet similar investments in demining peaceful nations are conspicuously absent.

Angola’s landmine crisis is more than a humanitarian disaster; it is a symbol of global inaction and misplaced priorities. The international community must focus on clearing mines in peaceful nations like Angola and Cambodia, where the remnants of war persist to kill and maim.

The upcoming Fifth Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention offers an chance to shift this focus and address the ongoing failures in demining efforts. Without immediate and sustained action, Angola and countries like it will remain trapped in the shadows of their violent pasts, while new conflicts perpetuate the deadly cycle of landmines.Abdul Rauf, [email#160;protected]