THE U.S. HUMANITARIAN DEMINING PROGRAM

The goals of the United States Humanitarian Demining Program are to reduce civilian casualties, allow for the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes, enhance a nation's stability, and encourage international cooperation and participation by establishing sustainable, indigenous mine action programs in mine-affected countries. Although the United States has provided financial support to demining projects for over a decade, the formal U.S. program began modestly in 1993 by providing eight mine-affected countries with demining assistance worth some $10 million. Only one of those countries at that time, Mozambique, was in what is now the SADC region, and it received $4 million in demining assistance.

Today, over 30 countries, including some of the most mine-affected in the world, are receiving U.S. demining assistance. Seven of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa, including five in the SADC region: Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.

With over $100 million dollars committed to humanitarian demining assistance this fiscal year, the U.S. financial stake has grown ten-fold in just 6 years. Four of the five nations in the region hosting U.S. humanitarian demining programs are set to receive almost $6 million in assistance this fiscal year. Angola, the fifth country, is not presently scheduled to receive assistance because of the resumption of hostilities in that country, including the laying of new mines. The $6 million in demining assistance in 1999 for four countries compared to $4 million in 1993 for just one country does not reflect a waning U.S. interest in the region. Instead, it is an indication that earlier investments are paying off as one host nation after another comes closer to becoming mine-safe. In a moment, I shall provide you the status of the humanitarian demining program in each country in the region. But first, I would like to give you an idea of the sustained U.S. commitment to help nations of the region solve their landmine problem. Between 1993 and FY 1999, which runs through September 30, 1999, the United States has committed over $52 million in humanitarian demining assistance to the nations in the region. Tragically, we have also committed the lives of American military personnel. In October 1997, the United States lost an entire crew of one of its planes in an accident off the coast of Africa, just after the crew had delivered a demining team in Namibia.

U.S. HUMANITARIAN DEMINING PROGRAMS IN THE SADC REGION

I will now describe for you the status of the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program in each country in the region, emphasizing progress the program has made.

Angola

U.S. demining assistance for Angola began in FY 1995 with the allocation of more than $6.5 million. The resumption of hostilities in the country has stalled further assistance beyond the more than $19 million provided over the last 4 years. The United States funds have supported the UN-staffed Central Mines Action Office (CMAO), the Angolan demining institute (INAROE) and the demining school, which are currently administered through the UN's Department for Humanitarian Affairs. In addition, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has assisted various U.S. and international NGOs conduct mine awareness and demining programs. Finally, the United States has funneled some of its Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related (NADR) programs funds through CMAO for the purchase of demining equipment and services.

Much was accomplished in Angola through the provision of U.S. and other donor assistance, but much remains to be done. Until the recent breakdown of the peace process, Angola had been slowly achieving progress in establishing a viable demining program. A country-wide demining organization had been established, survey and information collection were underway, and the government was expanding upon the significant international clearance effort with its own demining units. It had also developed an extremely high level of mine awareness, although it was likely that incident rates would have remained high until more progress was achieved in clearing farmland and returning it to productivity.

USAID and its implementing partner, the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) have been particularly successful in providing assistance to landmine victims. A regional prosthetic workshop and rehabilitation center was established in Luena City, Moxico Province, which conforms to government and international standards and is staffed entirely by Angolans. The resumption of hostilities and the relaying of mines have jeopardized the progress Angola has made in solving its landmine problem and has exacerbated the problems it still faced.

Primary care facilities remain in a state of disarray, leaving much of the rehabilitative efforts to an international community wary of the nation's propensity for conflict. Should hostilities end, Angola will need additional assistance to enable it to complete minefield surveys and to improve mine clearance operations, particularly with respect to the road network and the rebuilding of medical and rehabilitative services. A smooth transfer of all mine action activities to the government would facilitate such efforts.

Mozambique

Mozambique is one of the most severely mine-affected countries in southern Africa, with estimates of up to 1 million landmines still in the ground. U.S. demining assistance for Mozambique began in fiscal year 1993 with the allocation of $4 million. Over the last 6 fiscal years, the United States has provided almost $20 million in demining assistance to Mozambique. Mozambique's National Demining Commission (CND) is working toward becoming chiefly responsible for overseeing all mine awareness, mine clearance, mine assessment and survey, and victims' assistance programs.

Between 1993 and 1997, 26,000 kilometers of road were cleared in the central region of Mozambique, facilitating post-war resettlement of agricultural lands. Today, area clearing of landmines continues. A U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) training contingent recently completed its portion of training Mozambique's cadre of demining trainers.

Currently, the Mozambican Armed Forces are training the "next generation" of trainers. DoD's training contingent also helped improve the CND's quality assurance program so that it meets UN demining standards, and it conducted a feasibility study of comic-book mine awareness programs specific to Mozambique. Last fiscal year the United States committed the sum of $1 million to Mozambique to support the Massingir Dam project.

This fiscal year, the United States expects to allocate $1.5 million to Mozambique for the purchase of protective equipment, additional vehicles, and facilities upgrades, and to establish an mine-detection dog program consistent with Government of Mozambique desires. The Government of Mozambique is using $800,000 in prior-year funding from the United States for additional demining technologies and protective equipment.

By the end of this calendar year, USAID's Prosthetics Assistance Project is expected to be completed. With Prosthetics and Orthotics Worldwide Education and Relief (POWER) as the implementing partner, the project will provide a comprehensive program of prosthetics and orthotics assistance to war victims to enhance their quality of life and assist them in leading an economically productive life in the future. Through this program, 7,000 amputees (70% of Mozambique's amputee population) have already been fitted with prostheses manufactured in the POWER workshop in Maputo.

Overall, the Government of Mozambique has made strides in organizing itself to meet the challenge of landmine removal, setting up appropriate mechanisms to coordinate mine clearing operations, specifically the National Demining Commission. However, the CND is still in the process of formulating a national strategy and may be plagued by disagreements within the government. Moreover, there is room for improvement in the relationship between it, the international donor community, and international NGOs.

Namibia

Namibia is on track to becoming mine-safe by the end of the year 2000. The United States has provided more than $8 million in demining assistance to Namibia since 1994 so that the country could reach this stage in solving its landmine problem. One of the more significant indications of the success of the U.S.-Namibian program is the 90% reduction in casualties from anti-personnel landmines (APL). U.S. and other assistance funded a multi-phased humanitarian demining program, including mine-clearance, medical, communications, and mine awareness training as well as providing demining equipment to the Namibian Defense Force and police.

All humanitarian demining training has now been completed, and Namibia is close to establishing a self-sustaining, indigenous demining capacity under the direction of a Demining Coordination Center. Mined electrical pylons remain a problem, but a berm sifter and ancillary heavy equipment, provided by DoD, are making impressive progress in extracting the remaining APLs from the berms. Berms are being cleared at the rate of five a week.

An unexploded ordnance (UXO) problem still exists, but it is not a significant cause of casualties because of the remoteness of the terrain where the UXO are located. Nevertheless, the United States is providing assistance in FY 1999 to support a UXO awareness program for the people of the northern part of the country, where most UXO are found. Namibia has requested a bomb-sniffing dog program for proofing clearance of its minefields and berms. The United States is providing $784,000 in FY 1999 assistance funds for the program.

Swaziland

United States humanitarian demining assistance to Swaziland began in fiscal year 1998 with an allocation of $210,000. These funds, provided by the Department of State, enabled the Government of Swaziland to procure equipment to clear the one minefield in the country. Training of Swaziland deminers in mine clearance techniques has been deferred because of the transfer of funds to relieve the suffering in Central America caused by Hurricane Mitch last fall. The United States continues to look for alternatives to provide the training this fiscal year. Should no alternatives be found, the United States will request FY 2000 funds for the training.

Once training is completed, Swaziland deminers will clear the single minefield located in a narrow strip of remote, mountainous land along its border with Mozambique. Once the field is cleared, Swaziland will be able to declare itself mine-safe. The experience of clearing this minefield will also enhance Swaziland's capacity to contribute to future peacekeeping activity.

Zimbabwe

United States humanitarian demining assistance to Zimbabwe began in FY 1998 with an allocation of $2.3 million. The Government of Zimbabwe used these funds to train deminers and establish a mine awareness program. In addition, U.S. military personnel assisted in the setting up of the National Demining Organization and trained Zimbabwean Army engineers to survey and assess minefields so that demining would proceed smoothly.

In FY 1999, Zimbabwe will receive $743,000 in humanitarian demining assistance. The money will be used to purchase additional heavy demining equipment.

CONCLUSION

The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program is a success story both in the world and in this region. We look forward to the day when all SADC countries receiving U.S. humanitarian demining assistance are in a position to declare themselves mine-safe.