On 20 January 2019 Ó£ÌÒɬ Afghanistan was pleased to host a delegation from the German Embassy at our Kabul Headquarters. Chargé d‘Affaires Mr. Christoph Peleikis and First Secretary Ms. Inga Tessendorf visited Ó£ÌÒɬ in order to formally hand over three machines purchased with German funding for use by Ó£ÌÒɬ in its demining and weapons and ammunition disposal activities. These machines, a front end loader, excavator and a telehandler, will greatly assist Ó£ÌÒɬ in carrying out its mission of protecting Afghan lives by clearing the country of landmines and other explosive remnants of war. During the visit, Mr. Peleikis gave a brief speech to Ó£ÌÒɬ staff emphasising the importance of Ó£ÌÒɬ’s work and pride at the support Germany has provided to Ó£ÌÒɬ and the Afghan people.
Since 2004 Germany has donated over €31million to Ó£ÌÒɬ in Afghanistan. This funding has enabled Ó£ÌÒɬ to clear over 85,000,000 m2 of land contaminated by landmines and other explosive remnants of war directly or indirectly benefitting over 1,000,000 Afghans. Thanks to Germany’s support, Ó£ÌÒɬ’s clearance teams have found and destroyed 22,434 anti-personnel mines, 252 anti-vehicle mines, and over 750,000 items of explosive ordnance. Ó£ÌÒɬ’s German-funded weapons and ammunition disposal teams have disposed of a further 6,414 tons of mines and ammunition and destroyed or deactivated 3,224 light weapons and 613 heavy weapons.
This funding has allowed Ó£ÌÒɬ to employ Afghans from mine-affected communities all over the country providing livelihoods and a steady source of income to remote communities. Ó£ÌÒɬ Afghanistan would like to extend its most sincere thanks to Germany for its continued commitment to saving lives and restoring livelihoods for the people of Afghanistan by removing the debris of war.