PANO – A seminar on overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives left by the war in Vietnam was co-held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the International Centre of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (IC-VVAF) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) on March 27th in Hanoi.
At the seminar, representatives of international sponsors and experts discussed ideas and shared experiences with Vietnam in overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives left by the war.
GICHD Director, Ambassador Stephan Husy also attended the seminar on the occasion of his working visit to Vietnam from March 25th to 27th.
The Ambassador highly valued Vietnam’s active participation in international activities in overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives. He affirmed that GICHD would render the most support to Vietnam in its overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives left by the war.
Vietnam has much experience in detecting and defusing bombs, mines and explosives and therefore, it should share its experience with other nations across the world, the Ambassador said.
He stressed that Vietnam takes the lead in overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives left by wars, although most of the resources earmarked for detecting and defusing bombs and mines in the country have come from the national budget.
On the same day, Ambassador Stephan Husy and IC-VVAF President Virginia Foote signed a memorandum of understanding with the Vietnamese Standing Office of the State Steering Committee for the National Action Programme on overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives left by the war (Steering Committee 504)
At the seminar, Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Stale T. Risa highly appreciated Vietnam’s achievements in overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives. However, the Ambassador noted that Vietnam has much to do to fulfil the set objectives of the national plan for overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives.
According to him, the pace of Vietnam’s overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives left by the war depends much on a transparent information mechanism allowing parties access: All related activities should be reported; and all activities of surveying, defusing and clearing land from bombs and mines should be fully reported and put into the national database.
With the same view, Senior Advisor Ted Paterson at GICHD said that sponsors for Vietnam’s National Programme on overcoming the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives needed more information, so Vietnam should help them better understand its priorities. In addition, there should be a mechanism to coordinate between Vietnam and international sponsors and the platform for dialogues on policies between Vietnam and sponsors.
At the seminar, representatives of the Vietnam Bomb and Mine Action Centre under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs announced that Vietnam would release a map of bomb and mine pollution this year.
Regarding international sponsors for Vietnam, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Bui Hong Linh highly valued international support for Vietnam and hoped that sponsors continue to join Vietnam’s efforts in overcoming as soon as possible the aftermath of bombs, mines and explosives left by the war.
Translated by Thu Nguyen