This statement was made during a working session chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, permanent member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Defense Minister, Head of the Permanent Office of the National Steering Committee on Overcoming War Consequences of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Toxic Chemicals in Vietnam (Steering Committee 701 for short) on June 17 in Hanoi.
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Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh speaks at the event. |
During the event, representatives of the Steering Committee 701 informed the delegates of the results of current missions in overcoming post-war UXO and toxic chemical consequences in the first half of 2020, and mapped out plans to fulfill assigned missions for the remaining months of this year.
Reportedly, the relevant units actively strengthened their staff’s capabilities. In addition, the Department of Military Science - the Office 701 also submitted proposals to the leadership of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) and the Steering Committee to review the implementation of a national action plan on addressing toxic chemicals used by the U.S. during the war in Vietnam. These learnt contents have paved the way for building a new national action plan on overcoming post-war toxic chemicals/dioxin consequences in the 2021-2030 period.
The MND has issued documents that assign key tasks to relevant agencies and units in the military to overcome post-war UXO and toxic chemical consequences in 2020. Accordingly, they carried out dissemination activities in response to the International Mine Awareness Day (April 4) and the Day for Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin while promoting other international cooperation activities and resource mobilization campaigns.
Currently, the units are working on plans to organize four events in the last six months of this year to report to the MND’s leaders for consideration and approval. In the settlement of post-war UXO and toxic chemical consequences, they implemented five mine action projects and conducted seven projects on handling toxic chemicals left behind from the war.
In his conclusion, General Vinh hailed the units for their great efforts in fulfilling assigned missions despite complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also urged them to closely work together to complete set projects as scheduled and pay due attention to personnel work in order to promptly organize planned programs.
Last but not least, he asked the relevant units to thoroughly embrace the implementation of on-going projects while promoting dissemination of information related to the programs and activities. He also mentioned that Office 701 should prepare for the upcoming official meeting of the Permanent Office and Steering Committee 701.
Translated by Minh Anh