Viet Nam to push ahead with mine action: PM
Viet Nam will push ahead with the settlement of wartime unexploded ordnance (UXO) consequences and also expects continued assistance from international partners in this work, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told a conference in Ha Noi on February 17.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the event. (Photo: laodong.vn) |
The meeting reviewed the national mine action program, also called Program 504, during 2010 - 2020 and set up orientations for 2021 - 2025.
Prior to the program, 6.1 million ha of land in Viet Nam was contaminated with UXO, 18.82 percent of the country’s total.
During 2010 - 2020, UXO detection and clearance were carried out on 485,000ha at a total cost of over 12.61 trillion VND (553.3 million USD), including more than 10.4 trillion VND from the domestic budget and nearly 2.2 trillion VND in foreign non-refundable aid.
As a result, the UXO-contaminated land has been shrunk to 5.6 million ha, equivalent to 17.71 percent of the country’s area, according to the national steering committee for settling post-war UXO and toxic chemicals.
It noted the non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) projects funded by the governments of other countries, including the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and Norway, and international organizations like MAG, NPA, Golden West, SODI, and Peace Tree, have also generated practical benefits for people and substantially contributed to social development in Viet Nam.
Addressing the event, PM Chinh said the wartime UXO poses a daily threat to people and also a hindrance to socio-economic development, citing preliminary statistics showing that since 1975, the deadly legacy of wars has killed more than 40,000 people and injured 60,000 others.
Given this, Viet Nam has made active moves in settling war consequences, including UXO, over the past many years, he said, noting that Program 504 is important to socio-economic development as well as the stabilization of people’s lives.
Over 5,000 UXO victims and other affected people have received assistance in health care, vocational training, and livelihoods. Besides, hundreds of thousands of people, especially those in areas heavily polluted with UXO, have used methods for preventing UXO accidents. Notably, the number of UXO accidents has been reduced significantly, with many localities already free of such incidents for many years.
Viet Nam will push ahead with mine action and remain a trustworthy partner, an active and responsible member of the international community, PM Chinh stated, calling on other governments, ambassadors, international organisations, and sponsors to continue their support to help Viet Nam get rid of UXO impacts.
He also appealed for joint efforts to prevent wars and armed conflicts so that all people around the world will no longer suffer.
(Source: VNA)
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