Hanoi (VNA) – To speed up the settlement of bomband mine consequences, Vietnam needs stronger cooperation and support frominternational partners, thus ensuring that no more people are killed or injureddue to the post-war bombs, mines and unexploded ordnances (UXO), according tothe Vietnam Mine Action Centre (VNMAC).

Decades after the end of war, Vietnam still suffers from the deadly threat from millions of tonnes of bombs, mines and UXO left by war, which have killed more than 40,000 and caused disabilities to over 60,000 others. At present, over 17 percent of thecountry's total natural land area is still polluted with bombs, mines and UXO.

In more than 10 years from 2010 to 2020, nearly 500,000 hectares of areas were cleared from bombs and mines under the National Mine Action Programme in the 2010-2020 period and mission orientation for 2021-2025 (Programme 504).

More than 5,000 victims of bombs and mines have receivedsupport in various forms worth over 50 billion VND (2.18 million USD). Meanwhile, hundreds ofthousands of people in bomb and mine polluted areas have been educated withmeasures to prevent accidents related to bombs and mines.

Despite difficulties, the Party and State have allocatedgreat resources to the settlement of problems related to bombs and mines, whilecalling for support from the whole society and international donors for thework.

Many projects in the field have been implemented withassistance from the governments of the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, theUK, Norway, Germany, Australia and Russia as well as internationalorganisations such as UNDP, UNICEF and many other international donors.

In the2010-2020 period, total cost for activities under the national programme reached over 12 trillion VND (525.27million USD), of which more than 10 trillion VND came from the domestic budget and more than2 trillion VND from foreign non-refundable sources.

However, despite the efforts, Vietnam has completed just nearly70 percent of the target in bomb and mine clearance, while the ratio of pollutedland area in the central and Central Highlands localities such as Quang Tri,Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Kon Tum and Gia Lai remains high.

In order to speed up the progress of bomb and mine consequencesettlement, the VNMAC has recommended measures to the Steering Committee for Programme 504, including increasing the role of organisations and individuals, along with promoting international cooperation and the attraction of ODA in the work.

The centre underlined the need for the Mine Action Partnership Group (MAPG) in Vietnam to intensify its operation and expand the country’spartnership with promising partners while fostering ties with traditional ones tobroaden activities in bomb and mine clearance across Vietnam.

It is also necessary to make full use of support frominternational organisations in researching and developing new technologies inbomb and mine clearance.

Vietnam aims to eliminate accident caused by post-warbombs, mines and UXO in any corner of the country by 2025./.