The
funding,
announced
Wednesday
by
British
Ambassador
Pete
Vowles,
is
part
of
the
UK’s
Global
Mine
Action
Programme
(GMAP)
and
will
be
distributed
to
two
organisations,
The
HALO
Trust
and
the
Mines
Advisory
Group
(MAG).
The
increased
funding
aims
to
accelerate
Zimbabwe’s
progress
toward
its
goal
of
becoming
landmine-free
by
2025.
This
initiative
is
critical
for
releasing
land
for
agriculture,
housing,
and
social
services
while
reducing
the
risk
of
landmine-related
accidents.
The
funding
is
also
expected
to
create
new
employment
opportunities,
particularly
for
women,
in
demining
operations.
During
a
visit
to
Rushinga,
Mashonaland
Central,
Ambassador
Vowles
commended
the
local
deminers
for
their
courage
and
dedication.
“I
want
to
salute
the
bravery
of
the
deminers
working
to
create
safe
environments
in
Mashonaland
East
and
Central.
The
UK
is
committed
to
achieving
a
mine-free
world,
and
this
additional
funding
will
enable
MAG
and
HALO
to
continue
saving
lives
and
supporting
economic
development
in
affected
communities.”
Oliver
Gerard-Pearse,
Programme
Manager
for
HALO
in
Zimbabwe,
expressed
gratitude
for
the
UK
government’s
ongoing
support,
stating,
“This
funding
ensures
that
fewer
children
in
Rushinga
and
Mudzi
have
to
choose
between
walking
through
minefields
and
getting
an
education,
and
fewer
parents
will
risk
their
lives
farming
near
dangerous
explosives.
We
appreciate
the
collaboration
between
the
UK
government,
MAG,
HALO,
and
the
people
of
Zimbabwe,
which
makes
this
life-saving
work
possible.”
The
new
funding
follows
the
UK’s
previous
commitment
of
USD
22.2
million,
announced
in
February
2024,
to
support
mine
clearance
in
eight
countries,
including
Zimbabwe.
Under
this
latest
allocation,
MAG
will
focus
on
clearing
mines
and
providing
risk
education
in
Mashonaland
East,
while
HALO
will
operate
in
both
Mashonaland
East
and
Central.
Zimbabwe’s
landmine
contamination
dates
back
to
the
1970s,
during
the
liberation
war,
when
the
white
minority
government
deployed
explosives
along
key
border
areas.
Today,
around
18.3
km²
of
land
remains
contaminated,
posing
significant
risks
to
local
populations.
Zimbabwe
is
among
the
few
countries
actively
working
to
meet
the
2025
mine
clearance
deadline
set
by
the
Ottawa
Convention.