Mine clearance operations suspended in Quang Binh due to U.S. funding freeze

Mine clearance projects in the Central province of Quang Binh have been forced to suspend following the U.S. government’s decision to halt funding, the provincial Department of Foreign Affairs said on February 12.

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The suspension has significantly impacted ongoing efforts to address the dangers of unexploded ordnance (UXO) left over from wars. It has also disrupted the work of hundreds of personnel involved in these crucial projects.

The U.S. State Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement has been a primary funder of UXO clearance projects run by PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN), the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG). However, the State Department has formally asked project partners in multiple countries to immediately halt all activities it has financed.

Mines Advisory Group members dispose a bomb in Quang Binh province.

In Quang Binh, four U.S.-funded mine action projects have been suspended since the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, pending further notice.

More than 350 mine clearance workers in Quang Binh have been directly affected by the decision. Additionally, several other projects in the province funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are also experiencing disruptions.

Source: VNA