UK Edition
Ruth Davidson hails landmine clearance charity on visit to Afghanistan
Ruth Davidson has hailed the “great Scottish success story” of a charity leading the world in landmine clearance during a visit to Afghanistan.
The Scottish Conservative leader spent four days in Kabul at the invitation of the HALO Trust, the world’s largest humanitarian mine clearance operation, which was once supported by Diana, Princess of Wales. Last year, Prince Harry urged the world to continue his late mother's mission to rid the world of landmines.
During the visit the charity handed control of 23,400 acres of land in western Afghanistan back to the local government following a 10-year operation to remove ordnance from the area.
Ms Davidson was given training on how to find, excavate and remove land mines and exploded an anti-personnel mine during a training exercise.
She also met members of the Afghan government to discuss security and spoke to female Afghan MPs to discuss women’s participation in politics.
In a week of negative publicity surrounding Britain’s aid effort, Ms Davidson said the visit had demonstrated how UK-based NGOs, such as HALO, from Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway, were getting on with the job of saving and improving lives.
She added: “The HALO Trust is one of the great Scottish success stories. From its base in Dumfriesshire it now has around 8,000 full time staff around the world operating in conflict and post-conflict zones.
“Literally millions of families have been able to return to their home safely thanks to its work. As a long-term supporter, I was honoured to have been asked to see its work for myself.
"Every region in Afghanistan is affected by mines and while some have been laid during the current conflict, thousands are left over from the wars of the past. Every minefield has the capacity to maim and kill civilians and they stop local people from being able to farm, build or even travel certain key routes.
"Learning the techniques of land mine clearance has shown me just how dangerous and painstaking the work is.”
She said the UK Government had recognised the importance of the work and how vital it was in helping some of the “poorest and most unstable countries in the world to develop and become safer, more prosperous places”.
Maj-Gen James Cowan, CEO of the trust, said not many politicians visited Afghanistan and it took a “certain sort” to face its dangers, adding: “Ruth saw for herself the work of the 3,500 HALO staff who work across the country. She also witnessed the amazing contribution that UK DFID is making to clearing the country of landmines. DFID’s support is saving lives and creating livelihoods.”
Ms Davidson arrived in Afghanistan on Sunday but security restrictions mean she was unable to speak about the trip until after she left the country on Wednesday.