The reception was held on the occasion of USAID Director’s attendance at the ceremony to announce the completion of dioxin cleanup at A So Airport in A Luoi district held by the Chemical Corps.
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An overview of the reception |
During the event, Sr. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien said that the dioxin treatment project at A So Airport was implemented with entire resources from Vietnam, including budget capital and treatment technology and techniques. The completion of the project has helped remove A So Airport from the list of dioxin-contaminated sites, thereby ensuring people’s health and clearing land for local socio-economic development.
The deputy defense minister underlined that this was one of the great efforts of the Vietnamese government in overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals/dioxins left by the war. Vietnam took the occasion to inform the international community and friends about the results of these efforts.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien |
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USAID Director in Vietnam Aler Grubbs |
Gen. Chien also sent sincere thanks to USAID Director for her attendance and her efforts in supporting Vietnam to complete the dioxin cleanup project at Bien Hoa Airport, affirming that Vietnam prioritizes accelerating cooperation with the U.S. in handling the consequences of post-war bombs, mines, and toxic chemicals/dioxins.
On this occasion, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien thanked USAID for its efforts in lobbying the U.S. government to ensure funding for the dioxin cleanup project at Bien Hoa Airport. He required Ms. Aler Grubbs to direct agencies to closely coordinate with functional agencies of Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense in dealing with the consequences of bombs, mines, and toxic chemicals/dioxins, especially boosting the implementation of the dioxin cleanup project at Bien Hoa Airport.
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Gen. Chien presents a souvenir to Ms. Aler Grubbs. |
For her part, Ms. Aler Grubbs informed that the U.S. Government’s budget for USAID to support projects to improve the life quality of people with disabilities in Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin-affected provinces in Vietnam this year has doubled compared to that of last year. It is expected that there will be three more provinces receiving support from this source of funds.
The USAID Director in Vietnam affirmed that the U.S. government would maintain its commitment to support Vietnam in completing the dioxin cleanup project at Bien Hoa Airport and thanked Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense for creating favorable conditions for USAID in supplementing this budget.
Translated by Quynh Oanh