Paris (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang hasappreciated efforts made by Collectif Vietnam Dioxine members to support campaigns to back Vietnamese French woman Tran To Nga’s lawsuit against USchemical companies and to raise funds for Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims inVietnam.

Receiving the organisation’s representatives on October 2,Thang expressed his admiration for the determination and courage of Nga who haspersistently pursued the lawsuit against US companies that had manufactured thetoxic AO defoliant used by US forces during the war in Vietnam.

He informed Collectif Vietnam Dioxine about efforts the VietnameseState and people are making to alleviate the physical and mental pains of VietnameseAO/dioxin victims.

Every year, the Vietnamese State spends about 400 million EUR (463.7million USD) on the care, support and vocational training for the victims.

In 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developmentdecided to remove glyphosate from the list of phytosanitary products allowed tocirculate in Vietnam, which is considered a responsible action of theVietnamese government with a hope to put public health above economic andcommercial issues. In addition, decontamination at sites severely polluted by dioxinsuch as Bien Hoa and Da Nang airports has also been implemented effectivelywith the support of the US government, according to the diplomat.

The ambassador called on Collectif Vietnam Dioxine membersto continue to take practical and concrete actions to help and support AO/dioxinvictims in the coming time. He also pledged to always stand side by side withthem in the fight for justice and rights for the AO/dioxin victims in Vietnam.

At the meeting, Nga expressed her gratitude for the sentiments and supportof French friends and Vietnamese people around the world, which, she said, hasmotivated her to continue fight till her last breath.

Vo Dinh Kim, coordinator of Collectif Vietnam Dioxine, affirmedthat the organisation will continue to organise dissemination activities aboutAgent Orange, and call for help for victims as well as support for Nga's lawsuit.

The organisation has sent a written request to the Frenchgovernment calling for an official day to commemorate AO/dioxin victims, he added.

Set up in 2004, Collectif Vietnam Dioxine is anon-governmental organisation, bringing together nearly 20 associations anddelegations of Vietnamese people in France and French friends, including theAssociation of Vietnamese People in France (UGVF), Union of Vietnamese Youth inFrance (UJVF), France-Vietnam Friendship Association (AAFV), and France’s RepublicanAssociation of Veterans.

From 1961 to 1971, the US military sprayed about 80 millionlitres of toxic chemicals, 61 percent of which were AO, containing 366 kg ofdioxin, on to nearly a quarter of South Vietnam. About 86 percent of the areawas sprayed more than two times, 11 percent of the area was sprayed more than10 times.

As a result, around 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed tothe toxic chemical. Many of the victims have died, while millions of theirdescendants are living with deformities and diseases as a direct result of thechemical’s effects./.