Angola: clearing landmines and weapons

When Angola’s 27-year civil war ended in 2002, landmines and explosives littered fields, villages and towns, killing and injuring thousands. Some estimate that around 88,000 Angolans were casualties of landmines, although no precise number has ever been established.

At the end of 2023, a total of 1,016 minefields covering an estimated 67km sq remained in 16 of Angola’s 18 provinces.

In the southeast, Cuando Cubango is home to some of Angola’s most complex and dangerous minefields, as well as some of the most historically significant battles from the Civil War. Importantly, the civilian accident rate in Cuando Cubango is high and mines there affect some of the country’s most vulnerable people.

OUR WORK

From 1994 to 2024 we have destroyed over 120,000 landmines in Angola. Initially we focused on removing landmines in regional capitals and towns, such as Huambo, which Princess Diana visited in 1997 and is now a thriving city. Entire provinces, including Huambo and Benguela, are now free from the impact of mines.

HALO's work in Angola has cleared and released back to the people the equivalent of 6,800 football pitches of land that can be used for growing crops, building schools and developing the country.

Key to Angola's development is the Lobito Corridor, a strategically important railway line and infrastructure zone running through the heart of Angola. Mine clearance along the railway is removing barriers to accessing the corridor, enabling investment in road and rail infrastructure.

The Corridor will serve as a route for exports serving the global switch to renewable energy which has attracted international investment.

Huambo minefields: then and now

The Government of Angola’s leadership on mine clearance has been transformational. Its unique commitment of $60 million to clear landmines in two national parks in the southeast of the country has led to investment in scientific research and conservation across the region.

This area is home to one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet with the potential to attract tourism and help secure Angola’s wildlife as part of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. None of this is possible while landmines remain in the ground.

In partnership with the Angolan police and military, we have also destroyed thousands of unwanted weapons and tons of ammunition, reducing the risk of armed violence or unplanned explosions. Finally, we keep people safe by teaching risk education—preventing devastating accidents until we can remove all the landmines and explosives for good.

OUR IMPACT

“Now that there are women in high positions in HALO it encourages other women to join and shows other women they can get to this position. It’s really important.”

Filomena, Sub-Unit Commander

HALO Angola has been the pioneer of female empowerment programmes in demining, growing from three per cent of staff in 2017 to 44 per cent in 2024. Filomena joined HALO seven years ago, after watching deminers clear mines from around her village in Benguela. She has risen through the organisation to become a Sub-Unit Commander, leading her own teams in the minefield. Her role gives her skills, status and a secure income, allowing her to support her two young daughters.

Stories from Angola

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Meet Our Team in Angola

Deputy Programme Manager (Admin)

Joined HALO in 2010 as WAD Administrator. In 2013 appointed to support the Finance Department conducting Internal Audit. In 2016 became National Head of Finance Department. In July 2022 became Deputy Programme Manager Admin. Hold a degree in Accounting and Auditing from the University JES.

Gabriel Nungolo

Head of Operations, Angola

Laura joined HALO in 2016 as Medical Officer for HALO Colombia. She left in 2018 and re-joined in 2021 as medical consultant for HALO Iraq. She then completed her operations training in Cambodia including IMAS EOD Level 3. Since 2022 she has been working in Kosovo where she was Operations Manager. Before HALO, Laura worked for as an O.R and emergency room nurse in Colombia for nine years. Laura is completing her BA in International Relations and Political Studies. She joined HALo Angola as head of operations in 2024.

Laura Moreno Gonzalez

Location Manager Kuando Kubango Province

Toni joined HALO in 2002 soon after the civil war ended and when his home province of Kuando Kubango was in dire need of emergency mine clearance assistance. Toni was initially responsible for administrative and logistics support to demining operations in Mavinga, a remote town where ex-combatants were quartering for demobilisation, and many tens of thousands of refugees were making their journey home. Since then, demining operations in Kuando Kubango have grown significantly and, as Location Manager, Toni is responsible for the day to day management of the programme’s largest contingent, including demining around the densely mined town of Cuito Cuanavale.

José António (Toni)

Headquarters Manager

Aurelio joined HALO in 1998 as a deminer, and during the course of his career has worked in demining, survey, mechanical clearance, and road threat reduction. He spent time on the Mozambique programme and returned to Angola in 2003 to serve as Provincial Operations Manager. He was Location Manager for Huambo province from 2009-2016, and led the Mine Impact Free District Survey in Huambo from 2012 to 2014, visiting areas where HALO clearance had been completed ensuring that there was no remaining mine threat. In 2016 Aurelio became Headquarters Manager located in Huambo Province and is now also closely involved with Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) supporting projects with the Angolan military and national police.

Aurelio José Chucúlia

Operation Manager

Valdemar joined HALO in 1997 as a deminer and was quickly promoted. After a term as Provincial Operations Manager in Huambo he took over as Location Manager in the province and oversaw clearance operations during the busy period following the end of the war in 2002. After further mine clearance and management training with HALO in Cambodia, Valdemar became HALO Programme Operations Manager in 2007. He manages operational deployments across the programme and oversees all operational training.

Valdemar Gonçalves Fernandes

Operations Officer – GoA Project

Ramadane joined HALO in 2006 in Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique. In 2007 HALO began clearance operations to the south and then centre of the country. During this time, Ramadane held various positions in the organisation, from driver, demining team supervisor, training officer and logistics officer. Mozambique was declared landmine free in 2015, Ramadane continued with administrative work for HALO until the end of 2020, when the programme was officially closed. In 2021, he joined the HALO Angola team where he currently works as field officer in the municipality of Cuito Cuanavale.

Ramadane João

Field Officer - GoA

Harry completed HALO’s Field Officer training course in Cambodia in June 2021 and stayed in-country to work as Location Manager for Anlong Veaeng, responsible for mineclearance across three northern provinces. In May 2023 Harry joined the Angola programme as GoA Field Officer, based in Cuito Cuanavale. Before joining HALO, Harry worked in fundraising for an international development NGO and volunteered as a Team Leader for an emergency response NGO assisting refugees arriving on the Greek island of Lesvos. Harry is IMAS EOD Level III trained and holds an MA in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response.

Harry Wells

GIS & DATA Manager

Eugenio joined HALO in 2015 a Payroll Officer, taking on more responsibilities for the programme’s Benguela and Cuanza Sul locations as Admin Support in 2018, where he worked until February 2020. In March 2020 Eugenio joined the Information Management Department as GIS & Data assistant until 2021. In January 2022 he became the programme’s GIS & Data Manager.

Eugénio Ngola Malengue

Location Manager - Bié

João joined Halo in Dec 1995 as a deminer and was promoted to Section Commander in 1996. In 1997 he became Supervisor then Provincial Operations Manager. From 1998 to 2008 he was the Programme Operations Manager. From 2008 to 2012 he transferred to Bié due to family issues and became Provincial Operations Manager. Since 2012 he has been Bié´s Location Manager.

João Henrique Baptista

Operations Officer

Craig joined HALO in 2021 and after completing Field Officer training in Cambodia he deployed there briefly as an Operations Officer. He worked in Sri Lanka as an Operations Officer covering manual and mechanical clearance and then as an operations focused Location Manager in Mullaitivu. He is originally from Zimbabwe and has experience in banking and project management. Craig is IMAS EOD level 3 trained and holds a M.Sc. in Intelligent Computer Systems from the University of South Wales.

Craig Guwuriro

WAD/EOD OFFICER

Papel is HALO Angola’s WAM/EOD Officer, and is one of the programme’s longest-serving staff members. He joined HALO in 2000 as a driver, and had progressed through manual and mechanical demining teams, to minefield supervisor (2003), survey and EOD supervisor (2004), WAD supervisor (2006-2009) and from 2009 has held the position of WAD and EOD operations officer for the programme.

Avelino Papel Ulundo

Workshop Manager

‘Cobus’ joined HALO in November 2021. He has over 16 years’ experience working across Africa, including Mozambique, Gambia, DRC, Nigeria and Sierra Leone as a technical workshop manager. Cobus is originally from South Africa, where he studied, completing various diplomas in mechanical engineering, quality management, health and safety policy and procedure. He has worked in mining, road construction and development programmes and is registered with the council for quality practitioners as LCRQP/ ACRQP.

Jacobus Kruger