Germany pledges 216 million for demining

KIGALI - The German government is spending about Rwf 2176 million (approx. Euro 300,000) in Rwanda in honour of the country’s pledge to carry out demining activities. The mines, mostly Anti Personnel and Anti Tank landmines, were placed during the war between 1990 and 1994. Germany channeled its pledge through the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) in partnership with the Mine Wolf Systems that is carrying out the demining. The NPA Mine action partnered with Rwanda Demining Office to clear the Kanombe mine field. According to some officials from Rwanda Demining office, the Kanombe mine field was the only part of the country that still has landmines. With the assistance of Rwanda Defense Forces, Wolf Mine Systems through NPA have partially cleared Kanombe mine field. The demining activity is expected to leave the whole of Kanombe mine field cleared. The field is located between Kanombe military barracks and Juvenal Habyarimana’s, the former Rwandan president, home. Mine Wolf Systems is the leading provider of state-of-the art mechanical demining technologies and services offering a wide range of demining machines and services worldwide. The German Ambassador to Rwanda, Christian Clages, mid last week visited Kanombe mine field to review the project’s success. In an interview with The New Times after the field visit, Clages said that he was impressed by the work NPA is doing in Rwanda. “There is a big land that has been cleared and can now be accessed by locals to set up developmental activities” Clages said. The field visit was attended by Heinz Roth, the founder of Mine Wolf Systems. The team carrying out the Demining process, operating the mega machines are close to 40 highly skilled men who are also working closely with the Rwanda Demining team. Kanombe mine field that is being worked on has about 500,000 sq2. The Demining activities at Kanombe mine field started on August 6 and the team has so far cleared about 240,000 sq2. Most of the landmines that were planted in Rwanda between 1990 and 1994 have reportedly been extracted and exploded. Rwanda signed the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997. She ratified this treaty in 2000 and became a State Party the same year. The treaty indicates that Rwanda has to be a mine free state by 2010. Ends

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Germany pledges 216 million for demining