Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for an acceleration of efforts to clear post-war landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), setting a target to basically complete the clearance of all contaminated land to a depth of 0.5 meters by 2045.
Speaking at a conference on January 13 to review the 2010–2025 National Action Program on overcoming post-war landmine consequences, the PM emphasized that this goal should be achieved to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day. This updated timeline moves the target forward by five years compared to previous plans.
"This is a task that must be done, and the sooner the better, to ensure stable and sustainable development and to provide peace of mind for our citizens," PM Chinh stated during his concluding remarks.
Despite significant progress over the past 15 years, the PM, who also serves as the Chairman of the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences, noted that challenges remain. To date, clearance operations have been completed on approximately 530,000 ha out of a 1.3-million-hectare target, representing only 40% of the objective.
Reports presented at the conference highlighted that since World War II, Vietnam has been one of the nations most heavily affected by the legacy of war, including landmines, explosives, and toxic chemicals.
The scale of contamination remains vast. Post-war explosives have claimed the lives of more than 40,000 innocent people and left over 60,000 injured. Beyond the human toll, these remnants have forced thousands of families into hardship, devastated the environment, and served as a major barrier to socio-economic development.
Regarding resources, the Vietnamese government has allocated over VND23 trillion (over $875 million) from the State budget. Additionally, ministries and agencies have actively mobilized social resources and international support, receiving approximately $234 million in non-refundable aid from foreign countries and international donors to implement various successful clearance projects.
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