Additional joint efforts for UXO clearance in Vietnam

PANO - The new headquarters of the Vietnam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC) was inaugurated on October 20 in Hanoi in the presence of Minister of National Defense, General Ngo Xuan Lich, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the State Steering Committee on the National Mine Action Program (also known as Steering Committee 504), and other members of the steering committee.

Addressing the event, General Lich held that the new headquarters of VNMAC would effectively assist the steering committee in managing unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearing operations, attracting more resources and promoting international cooperation with the aim of accelerating UXO clearance in Vietnam.

Minister of National Defense General Ngo Xuan Lich speaking at the ceremony

Having acknowledged the center's efforts and achievements over the past time, the defense minister required the center to well perform six major tasks to make use of the facility in the time to come. The six major tasks include: serious implementing the Party’s guidelines and State's policies; improving the center's capability in managing and carrying out the national mine action program; promoting international cooperation and training programs on UXO clearance in order to early free the country from UXO contamination and accidents; enhancing information dissemination on the risks of UXO and the situation of UXO in Vietnam among Vietnamese people and foreigners so that they could understand the matter; holding bilateral and multilateral relations meetings and related events; and augmenting knowledge and capability for the center's staff to meet the task requirements in the current context.

* After the inauguration event, participants joined the Development Partnership Conference on Mine Action in Vietnam, an international forum proposing useful and effective policies to the Vietnamese government in overcoming the war aftermath.

Speaking at the conference, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Defense Minister and head of the permanent office of the State Steering Committee on the National Mine Action Program stressed the impacts of post-war bombs and mines on generations of Vietnamese people and the country's socio-economic development. Vietnam is still suffering from serious consequences of unexploded bombs and mines left behind the war which ended over 40 years ago. At present, the remaining UXO still have critical impacts on the country’s environment and socio-economic development, especially in its Central region.

Delegates cutting ribbon inaugurating the new headquarters of the Vietnam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC)

He also highlighted the Vietnam's initiative for the establishment of an experts' working group on humanitarian mine action, which aimed to boost cooperation between the country and other partners in surmounting UXO consequences, with the framework of ASEAN Defense Minister's Meeting Plus (ADMM+).

* The same day, the 4th ADMM+ Experts' Working Group Conference on Humanitarian Mine Action (ADMM+ EWG HMA) was opened at the center.

Addressing the conference, General Vinh stressed that Vietnam was pleased to co-chair the program's first session with India, and that the country pledged to make best efforts and large contributions to all cooperative fields of ADMM+.

At the event, representatives of the 10 ASEAN member states and their eight dialogue partners summarized the group’s activities during 2014-2017 and mapped out tasks for 2017-2020.

The co-chairmanship of the 2017-2020 period was handed over to Laos and Russia.

Translated by Trung Thanh