Norway Helps Vietnam Clear War-era Ordnance

The People’s Committee of the central province of Thua Thien Hue recently announced a Norwegian funded project to remove bombs and mines in Huong Tra District.


The Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) will provide about US$120,000  for the project that will be carried out in Hong Tien Commune. The project will also identify danger areas to help prevent further fatalities and enable utilization of land for agricultural cultivation.


Earlier, the provincial People’s Committee signed with the German organization Solidarity Service International (SODI) a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in removing unexploded ordnance, as well as reducing poverty in the province.


Since 2008, SODI has helped clear 217 hectares in Quang Vinh Commune, Quang Dien District. This year the organization plans to clear a further 150 hectares in Quang Loi Commune in the same district.


The central province still has more than 500,000 hectares strewn with bombs and mines.


More than 40,000 people across Vietnam have been killed by unexploded ordnance since the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *