Prince Harry visits Angola to advance sis mother’s legacy on landmine clearance. Image: X/@The Halo Trust.
(The Post News)– Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has visited Angola to meet with President João Lourenço in a renewed push for landmine clearance in the country, three decades after his mother, Princess Diana, famously highlighted the issue during a landmark visit.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, centered on ongoing efforts to rid Angola of landmines, a devastating legacy of its prolonged civil war. According to the international NGO Halo Trust, which leads de-mining operations in the region, Prince Harry expressed his commitment to the vision of a “mine-free Angola.”
James Cowan, CEO of Halo Trust, thanked the Duke for his continued support and announced plans to extend their partnership for another three years. “Prince Harry’s dedication to this cause has made a real difference,” said Cowan, emphasizing the importance of sustained international collaboration.
Princess Diana’s 1997 visit to the city of Huambo remains one of the most powerful symbols of humanitarian advocacy. Images of her walking through an active minefield in protective gear sparked global outrage over the use of landmines and helped build momentum toward the 1997 international treaty banning their use.
From 1975 to 2002, Angola endured a brutal civil war following its independence from Portugal. Armed groups, both local and foreign, heavily mined roads, villages, and farmland. To this day, remnants of that conflict continue to injure and kill civilians. The Halo Trust estimates that more than 88,000 Angolans have fallen victim to landmines.
The human toll remains painfully evident. In 2019, a woman named Ermelinda recounted to CNN how her nephew Frederico, aged 10, died after stepping on a landmine while playing football. Her son, Manuel, then just eight years old, was severely injured and lost his leg.
“The war ended a long time ago,” she said. “There are always many people in that area. They had never found that mine until the day the children were there.”
In that same year, Prince Harry returned to Huambo, retracing his mother’s steps through the once-dangerous minefield, further solidifying his role in continuing Diana’s mission to eliminate landmines and protect future generations.
Journalist-Kgopotso@thepostnews.net
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