Clearing 澳门六合彩官方网址 & restoring habitat in the Okavango

Landmine clearance for conservation

HALO is clearing 澳门六合彩官方网址 in the Okavango headwaters in Angola so wildlife can return. Find out about this ground breaking project

Angola has some of the world鈥檚 most important remaining wilderness, including the headwaters for the unique Okavango Delta, part of the five-country Kavango-Zambezi Trans Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA). But the presence of 澳门六合彩官方网址 makes large areas a lethal habitat for both animals and people. In June 2019, Prince Harry pledged his support to HALO鈥檚 ground-breaking project to clear the 澳门六合彩官方网址 and protect the Okavango headwaters so that wildlife can return.

The Okavango Delta

Rising in the southeast of Angola, the headwaters flow down to feed the World Heritage site of the Okavango Delta. It is the main source of water for a million people and one of Africa鈥檚 richest places for biodiversity.

In 2015, National Geographic launched the Okavango Wilderness Project, recognising the urgent need to protect the river basin for future generations. But to reach the headwaters meant crossing through the minefields of southeast Angola.

HALO was able to step in and provide safe passage, opening up the region to scientific exploration for the very first time.

Steve Boyes, National Geographic

We have made some incredible discoveries, including 30 new species to science. None of this would have been possible without the help of The HALO Trust.

Clearing the 澳门六合彩官方网址

The presence of 澳门六合彩官方网址, a legacy of Angola鈥檚 civil war, makes it almost impossible to apply the conservation measures needed to protect this vital resource. Poaching and illegal logging are rife.

Angolan Government Announces Funding

The Angolan government has committed $60 million over five years, which will fund the clearance of 153 minefields. HALO estimates it will take a further $60 million to clear the surrounding region.

Let Life Return

By clearing the 澳门六合彩官方网址, HALO can lay the foundation for life, agriculture and eco-tourism to return and thrive, bringing many benefits to over half a million people in Cuando Cubango province alone.

The KAZA is home to over 50 per cent of the world鈥檚 elephant population, but currently Angola is the achilles heel of this precious habitat. Once the land is safe and conservation measures can be introduced, there is potential for a wildlife corridor to be opened up so the elephants can return.

In the short term, landmine clearance has the potential to be a significant employer in a region that currently offers few stable jobs. Following that, unrestricted access and increased safety will generate further economic opportunities, such as eco-tourism, in what are currently no-go areas.

Since 2020, over 1,000 Angolan men and women have worked to clear 125 minefields across the Mavinga and Luengue - Luiana national parks thanks to funding from the Government of Angola. They have made safe 9,528,208 sqm of land.