Komatsu Completes Assistance for Disposal Efforts of Landmines in Angola

Jun. 26, 2017

In May 2017, Komatsu Ltd. (President and CEO: Tetsuji Ohashi) completed its assistance for the disposal of landmines in the Republic of Angola for eight years in collaboration with Japan Mine Action Service (President: Ryuichiro Arakawa) (hereafter "JMAS"), a certified specific non-profit organization of Japan.

There are many minefields, contaminated with landmines of a large quantity and a wide variety, throughout Angola as a result of civil wars over the years. In 2008 JMAS began landmine disposal and community redevelopment efforts in Mabubas, Bengo Province in the north west of the country. For this project of JMAS, the Japanese government, Komatsu and Japanese trading companies developed the supporting framework. Komatsu provided a demining equipment for anti-personal landmines (hereinafter gdemining machineh) and construction equipment at no cost to JMAS, which removed landmines in a total area of 213 ha, built roads for a total distance of about 20 km, dug holes for trash and generated other improvements in a period of 8 years.

In tandem with the completion of landmine disposal efforts in this region, the commemorative ceremony was held on March 22, 2017 with the attendance of the Hon. Japanese Ambassador to Angola, the Hon. Vice Governor of Bengo, President of JMAS and representatives of related companies, including Komatsu. A monument was also erected at the entrance to the region in May.

Komatsu's demining machine will be rented to Angola's National Demining Institute (INAD), a landmine disposal organization of Angola, at no cost, making contributions to removing landmines in landmine-contaminated areas of over 500 km2 in Angola.

In Cambodia and Laos, Komatsu is also promoting local projects to remove landmines and unexploded bombs and to redevelop communities. Komatsu will continue its social contribution efforts into the future by capitalizing on its specialized technologies and manufacturing expertise.

 

URLs:
for JMAS
> http://jmas-ngo.jp/

No : 024 (2680)
Corporate Communications Department
Sustainability Promotion Division
Komatsu Ltd.
tel: +81-(0)3-5561-2616
mail: JP00mb_cc_department@global.komatsu

*The information described is at the time of presentation and may be subject to advance notice.