Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: Vietnam strives to clear all land contaminated by unexploded ordnance by 2045
WVR - On January 13, at the Government Office, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended a conference which was held to summarize the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-War Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences, for the period 2010-2025 and to outline tasks for the next phase.
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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính attended the conference summarizing the National Action Program on post-war mine clearance for the period 2010–2025 and outlining tasks for the next phase. (Photo: Minh Nhat) |
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for the successful completion of the goal of basically clearing all UXO-contaminated land nationwide to a depth of 0.5 metres by 2045, coinciding with the nation’s centenary.
The Prime Minister, who also heads the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-War Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences, made the call while chairing a conference reviewing the implementation of the National Action Programme on UXO Remediation for 2010–2025 (Programme 504) and setting out priorities and tasks for the next phase.
The conference was attended by leaders from various central and local ministries, provinces, and cities; representatives from military agencies and units; ambassadors and defense attachés from various countries; representatives from international organizations and NGOs; experts and scientists. The conference was held in a hybrid format, with 23 local points across the country.
The conference served as an important forum to raise awareness and responsibility among various levels, sectors, countries, and international organizations in the task of post-war mine clearance in Vietnam. It aimed to widely disseminate the achievements of the Program, fostering consensus across the political system, and to enhance international cooperation and funding for post-war mine clearance activities in Vietnam.
The conference focused on evaluating the results and efforts of the Vietnamese Government in post-war mine clearance from 2010 to 2025, affirming the achievements, identifying existing issues, limitations, difficulties, and challenges, and proposing directions for the future.
Approximately 530,000 hectares of land cleared of mines
According to reports and opinions at the conference, after World War II, Vietnam was one of the nations that suffered the most from the aftermath of war, mines, explosives, and chemical toxins. The area of land contaminated by mines was vast; post-war mines have claimed the lives of over 40,000 innocent people and injured more than 60,000 others, pushing thousands of families into hardship, devastating the environment and nature, and posing significant barriers to socio-economic development.
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| Delegates attending the conference. (Photo: Minh Nhat) |
The Party and the State of Vietnam have always prioritized and concentrated resources on addressing the aftermath of war, handling mines, and chemical toxins. After 15 years of implementing the National Action Program on post-war mine clearance for the period 2010-2025, significant results have been achieved in addressing the consequences of war and mines.
This includes the establishment of a national action program, the completion of organizational structures, and the legal framework for post-war mine clearance in Vietnam. Efforts have been made to promote awareness, educate on mine accident prevention, and support victims; regular surveys, investigations, and mine clearance activities have been organized. Management capacity and research development have been continuously improved; proactive efforts have been made to enhance international cooperation and secure funding for post-war mine clearance; and coordination in mine clearance activities has been consistently maintained.
Nationwide, approximately 530,000 hectares have been surveyed and cleared of mines and explosives, with a total budget of nearly 29 trillion VND, including over 23 trillion VND from domestic sources and 5.6 trillion VND (equivalent to 234 million USD) from international aid and support. To date, the suspected mine-contaminated area has been reduced to about 5.57 million hectares, equivalent to 17.61% of the country's total area.
Vietnam has become a model for international cooperation in addressing the aftermath of war, with international cooperation in mine clearance serving as a message from Vietnam valuing peace. The mine action program is built on humanitarian and development criteria in line with the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law. The Vice President of the United Nations Security Council has highly praised Vietnam's efforts in post-war mine clearance.
At the conference, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper noted that Vietnam is not only addressing its mine contamination issues but is also a leader in regional and global efforts to eliminate unexploded ordnance from past conflicts. He expressed confidence that the capabilities developed in Vietnam will be applied in many other parts of the world to promote peace and prosperity.
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| U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper speaking at the conference. (Photo: Minh Nhat) |
UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Ms. Ramla Khalidi praised the Vietnamese government for its decisive leadership and unwavering commitment to identifying post-war recovery as a national priority. UNDP is proud to have been a partner with Vietnam on this journey and reaffirms its strong commitment to continue supporting Vietnam in the coming years.
Ms. Ramla Khalidi emphasized that lands once feared by people are now safer. Children can now play in areas that were once war zones.
"And we can invest, we can build, we can develop, with thousands of hectares of land cleared of mines. All victims are supported and reintegrated. Lives have been restored, and many opportunities have been opened up," the UNDP Resident Representative said.
A message of peace and opposition to war
In his concluding remarks, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính shared with international friends and delegates that the Party and State of Vietnam have always prioritized and identified post-war mine clearance as a central, urgent, and long-term political task, closely linked with socio-economic development and national defense. The issuance of Program 504 affirms the great political determination of the Party and State of Vietnam to eliminate the dangers of post-war mines and explosives, returning a safe environment and peaceful life to the people, serving the country's socio-economic development.
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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh emphasized that Vietnam has become a model for putting the past behind, respecting differences, finding common ground, minimizing disagreements, and looking to the future. (Photo: Minh Nhat) |
On behalf of the Government and the National Steering Committee, the Prime Minister commended and highly appreciated the efforts and results in post-war mine clearance over the past 15 years. On behalf of the Party and State leaders, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude to countries and international organizations for accompanying Vietnam in addressing the aftermath of war and mine clearance with noble gestures, encouragement, empathy, and deep sharing.
Notably, the successful organization of the mine clearance fundraising conference sent a strong message from Vietnam about its love for peace, opposition to war, and desire for no nation to experience war.
The Head of the Government emphasized that Vietnam has become a model for putting the past behind, respecting differences, finding common ground, minimizing disagreements, and looking to the future; transforming a war-torn country into what it is today and also a model for building international friendships from former adversaries to comprehensive strategic partners, reflecting the profound humanity and humanitarian spirit of the Vietnamese people towards war, post-war recovery, and human relationships.
According to the Prime Minister, after 15 years of implementation, with the results achieved, the Program has left valuable lessons, primarily on how to prevent war.
Additionally, it involves close, decisive leadership and high political determination from agencies within the political system, the participation of the people in post-war recovery; ensuring "unity at the top, smooth and timely at the grassroots level" to mobilize the strength of the entire political system; promoting a shift from fragmented work to centralized management according to international standards; ensuring scientific, comprehensive, and practical objectives.
Closely combining post-war mine clearance with development and social welfare. Internal resources play a fundamental, decisive, and strategic role, while external resources are important and breakthrough; promoting socialization, diversifying resources, and enhancing international cooperation, leveraging advanced management technology and experience.
Promoting the application of scientific and technological achievements and digital transformation. People are the center, the subject, and must be protected, guided, and involved in this process.
Alongside the achievements, the Prime Minister pointed out that there are still some limitations in post-war mine clearance. Land clearance activities have only completed about 530,000/1.3 million hectares, equivalent to 40% of the target. Mine clearance and chemical toxin handling activities have not been closely linked with local socio-economic development plans. The participation of socio-political organizations in mine accident prevention education has not been adequately addressed; many mine accidents causing significant damage still occur. Support for mine victims has not been comprehensive.
The reasons include the vast and complex distribution of contaminated land; the legal framework is not yet complete; some party committees and authorities have not paid sufficient attention; resources are limited...
Focusing resources on post-war mine clearance
The Prime Minister assessed that in the coming time, post-war mine clearance will face very heavy tasks, aiming to accelerate the pace of mine clearance and successfully achieve the goal of basically completing the clearance of all mine-contaminated land to a depth of 0.5m by 2045 (5 years earlier than the initial target).
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| The Prime Minister directed to focus on identifying post-war mine clearance as a deeply humanitarian, important, and urgent task. (Photo: Minh Nhat) |
The Prime Minister called for focusing on several key tasks: Continuing to identify post-war mine clearance as a deeply humanitarian, important, and urgent task; continuing to review and complete the policy and legal framework on mine clearance to ensure consistency and comprehensiveness; completing the organizational structure and capacity for mine clearance teams; proactively expanding and enhancing international cooperation, mobilizing and effectively using resources from both domestic and international sources for mine clearance; continuing to enhance education and awareness activities to prevent mine accidents; providing comprehensive care and support for mine victims.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính requested the Ministry of Defense to lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to promptly complete and propose the Action Program for the period 2026-2050 to the Prime Minister; to promptly implement the Project to enhance mine clearance capacity until 2030 and beyond, to strengthen research and application of science and technology in mine clearance; to mobilize and organize the reception of funding sources, ensuring the objectives and progress of the Program for the period 2026-2050.
The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam will continue to actively and proactively engage in post-war mine clearance, being a friend, a reliable partner, and an active, responsible member of the international community, for the goal of peace, cooperation, development, and a world without war. He also expressed gratitude and hoped that countries, international friends, ambassadors, international organizations, donors, and philanthropists will continue to accompany Vietnam.
"Let us together uphold responsibility, build trust, join hands to maintain peace, strengthen friendly relations, cooperate for development, and bring safety and happiness to all Vietnamese people and the global community," the Prime Minister stated.
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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and delegates at the conference. (Photo: Minh Nhat) |
In response to the Prime Minister's directives, on behalf of the Ministry of Defense, General Phan Van Giang affirmed that the Ministry of Defense, as the Standing Agency of the 701 Steering Committee, will seriously absorb the Prime Minister's directives and commit to proactively and actively coordinating more closely with ministries, sectors, localities, embassies, and international organizations in Vietnam in developing programs, plans, and identifying practical and effective solutions to accelerate mine clearance, aiming to basically complete the clearance of all mine-contaminated land in Vietnam to a depth of 0.5m in the next phase; ensuring safety for the people; supporting mine victims to stabilize their lives and develop sustainable livelihoods.
General Phan Van Giang expressed the desire to continue receiving the leadership and guidance of the Party and State, the decisive administration of the Government, and directly from the Prime Minister; hoping for the participation of the entire political system from the central to local levels; more support and companionship from the governments of other countries and international organizations to soon make Vietnam a country free from mine contamination.
The conference served as an important forum to raise awareness and responsibility among various levels, sectors, countries, and international organizations in the task of post-war mine clearance in Vietnam. The conference focused on evaluating the results and efforts of the Vietnamese government in post-war mine clearance from 2010 to 2025 and proposed the Program for the next phase to the government; widely disseminating the achievements of Program 504, fostering consensus across the political system; enhancing international cooperation and fundraising for post-war mine clearance activities in Vietnam.
On this occasion, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính awarded the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in implementing the National Action Program on post-war mine clearance in Vietnam for the period 2010-2025.
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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính awarding the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in mine clearance efforts. (Photo: Minh Nhật) |
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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính awarding the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in mine clearance efforts. (Photo: Minh Nhat) |
