At the meeting. Source: thuathienhue.gov.vn

More than 50 hectares of land in A Luoi district in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue have been cleared from war-left unexploded ordnance (UXO), giving more farming land for local residents, VNA reported.

This was the outcome of the third phase of a project on clearing UXO in A Luoi district conducted by the Vietnam National Mine Action Centre (VNMAC), which was reported at a meeting on January 10 to review the 10-month implementation of the phase.

US Ambassador to Vietnam, Marc E. Knapper, and Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) to Vietnam Country, Director Jan Erik Stoa, were among participants at the event.

Thua Thien - Hue is one of the provinces with highest level of landmines contamination in the country, with more than 170,400ha (accounting for 35% of the province's total area).

About 70km to the west of Hue city, A Luoi mountainous district is located on the Ho Chi Minh trail which served as an important artery for the Northern Vietnamese Army to transport weapons and personnel during the war. As a result, A Luoi was heavily bombed and shelled. In which, the historical site of A Bia Hill was where a fierce battle took place between US troops and forces of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam in May 1969.

Through the implementation process in 10 months, the project detected and handled 235 explosives, cleared 501,838m2 of land to help Lam Dot commune's people feel secure to cultivate, contributing to promoting socio-economic development of the locality; at the same time, has improved the technical capacity of the Provincial Military Command and units participating in the project.

The results have directly contributed to improving the quality of state management of Program 504 on mine clearance projects, thereby improving the quality of mine remediation activities to serve the local economic development and social security.

Signing the handover of project equipment to the Vietnam National Mine Action Centre (VNMAC). Source: thuathienhue.gov.vn

In his remarks at the meeting, Phan Quy Phuong, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee thanked the US Department of State and donors for their technical support for the project to be carried out effectively and safely.

The official expressed his wish that donors will continue to help the province access various resources to carry out demining and development programmes, noting that the locality is heavily affected by bombs and mines left over from the war while local residents need land for socio-economic development.

Thua Thien - Hue province is committed to create favourable conditions for foreign organisations, including non-governmental organisations, to operate effectively in this regard, he said.

For his part, US Ambassador Marc Knapper stressed that the meeting is a day of profound significance and shows the importance of the reconciliation efforts being made between the two countries of Vietnam. He's glad that all are here to officially declare that the path to the top of A Bia Hill is no longer affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance.

This is a very fitting event because as we enter the new year 2023, the US and Vietnam will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive partnership, the diplomat highlighted.

According to him, A Bia Hill used to be a place of destruction, but the two sides are here as partners and friends and we often hear a saying about the relations between the two countries that is 'Close the past, look to the future'. This meeting is a testament to this saying, the US and Vietnam can close a chapter of the fighting between two nations and can focus instead on bright common future of the two countries, the US Ambassador emphasized.

After the closing ceremony, VNMAC Director Nguyen Van Nghiep and NPA Vietnam Country Director Jan Erik Stoa signed the minutes of project equipment handover to VNMAC.

The USD 50,000 equipment package includes a Ford Ranger and specialized hand-held equipment for mine clearance.

US Ambassador Marc Knapper took a commemorative photo with officials clearing mines and unexploded ordnance at the foot of A Bia hill. Source: Dan Tri

Earlier, in the morning of the same day, US Ambassador Marc Knapper visited the foothills of A Bia Hill, listening to officers and staff of the demining unit introduce about the implementation process and achieved results of the project.

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