Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, meets Angolan Foreign
Minister at UN, backs call to clear landmines
Monday, 23 September 2024, New York – Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex today joined The HALO Trust, the world’s largest landmine clearance charity, to mark progress clearing landmines from Angola, and backed calls to finish the job.
HALO’s work in the southern African nation includes employing record numbers of female deminers, clearing a formerly heavily mined transcontinental railway line, and plans to help develop sustainable eco-tourism.
Prince Harry’s late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, was escorted by The HALO Trust through a cleared minefield in Angola at the height of the country’s war in 1997, when thousands of civilians were being killed or injured by landmines every year.
Princess Diana’s visit highlighted the deadly weapon around the world, galvanising countries to commit to and sign an Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban in Ottawa shortly after her death. Prince Harry retraced her steps in Angola in 2019 when HALO announced a massive $60 million investment from the Angolan government for a demining programme, led by the nation’s President, Joao Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço.
The Duke of Sussex was speaking at an event in New York, during the United Nations General Assembly. Prince Harry said:
“As you know, the HALO Trust’s work in Angola meant a great deal to my mother. Carrying on her legacy is a responsibility that I take seriously. And I think we all know how much she would want us to finish this particular job.
“Angola, under President Lourenço’s ledership , along with the Angolan government and the Angolan people, have set the gold standard for commitment and accomplishment in demining their country. This goes beyond just numbers, mines cleared, and money allocated. It’s about actual lives and actual progress. He continued: “Africa, and Angola in particular, has an incredibly young population. A demographic wave that surges with energy and optimism, holding the promise of a bright future for Angola's youth. For them, a world without mines must be a moral imperative for all of us.”
Téte António, Angola’s Minister of External Relations said: “Landmines continue to restrict access to agricultural land, which complicates our ability to develop large areas of the country and dissuades ecotourists from visiting. But that doesn't mean we don't have the potential, thanks to demining, to start exploiting such opportunities.
“2024 marks the 30th year that HALO has been helping to free the Republic of Angola from landmines. Demining has had a tremendous impact on making our land safe for future generations, unlocking investment and bringing once fractured communities back together.
“It brings us great joy to see not only our people enjoying the fruits of demining, but also see that our fauna and forests will be free from the scourge of mines”.
James Cowan, CEO of HALO said: “Although landmines still threaten Angola’s citizens, the country’s dramatic progress in landmine clearance should inspire the world. In the 30 years it has worked in Angola, HALO has cleared more than 1000 minefields, returning valuable land to communities for agriculture, infrastructure, housing and conservation.
“We still have much work to do. But with the government of Angola and other partners by our side, we can get the job done and build a prosperous future for the people of Angola.”
