Mine Clearance, Conservation and Economic Development in Angola

Research event Recording
17 June 2019 — 9:45AM TO 11:45AM
Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE

Angola has some of the world’s most important remaining wilderness, including the tributary system for the unique Okavango Delta, and the country has the potential to host one of the most diverse mammal populations on the continent.

However, the presence of landmines and remnants of the civil war render large areas of the country unsafe for both animals and the local people whose ability to derive a sustainable livelihood from their natural environment is fundamental to its protection. Angola is one country where the Landmine Free 2025 ambition is possible but in the past decade support for clearance in Angola has slumped by nearly 90 per cent to its lowest level on record.

The ambition to pursue conservation-based economic development and protection of the region’s vital biodiversity and conservation will be possible only if this negative trend of mine clearance financing is reversed.

This event highlights the connection between conservation, economic development and mine clearance with a call to action for increased funding for mine clearance efforts in Angola.

This event is being held in partnership with the HALO Trust.

Participants

HRH The Duke of Sussex
Hon Paula Coelho
, Minister for the Environment, Republic of Angola
Rt Hon Rory Stewart OBE MP, Secretary of State for International Development
His Excellency Dr Rui Jorge Carneiro Mangueira, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to the UK
R. Clarke Cooper, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, United States Department of State
Maj Gen (Rtd) James Cowan CBE, CEO, HALO Trust
Dr Adriano Gonçalves, Head of International Relations, National Intersectional Commission for De-Mining and Humanitarian Assistance
Jane Cocking, Chief Executive, The Mines Advisory Group
HE Jessica Hand, British Ambassador to Angola
Col Rui Nelson Gonçalves, Defence Attaché, Embassy of Angola to the UK
Kaddu Sebunya, CEO, African Wildlife Foundation
Kai Collins, Director, Okavango Wilderness Project, National Geographic Society

Chairs:
Dr Alex Vines OBE
, Director, Risk, Ethics and Resilience; Head, Africa Programme, Chatham House
Rt Hon Lord Boateng, UK Parliament All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Angola

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