Conventional weapons destruction assistance helps Angola protect the Okavango watershed and bolster regional stability

SUMMARY: Located in Angola’s southeastern Cuando Cubango province, the Mavinga and Luengue-Luiana National Parks are home to a wide range of wildlife including the largest remaining population of African elephants. These parks protect the diverse ecosystem situated in Angola’s portion of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) as well as the Cuito and Cuanavale rivers, which flow into the Okavango Delta in neighboring Botswana. While these parks boast two of Africa’s most diverse ecosystems, landmines from Angola’s Civil War – which ended in 2002 – continue to maim and kill both people and animals in the parks, constraining conservation efforts and the ecotourism industry.