Agreement signed to improve capacity of identifying human remains from war

Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the International Committee for Missing Persons (ICMP) on October 31 signed a cooperation plan on improving the capacity of identifying human remains from the war.

The plan, which will be implemented until the end of 2024, was inked by Dr Phi Quyet Tien, deputy director of the Institute of Biotechnology under the VAST, and Patrick White, managing director of ICMP's programmes.

Addressing the event, Chu Hoang Ha, VAST’s vice president said the signing of the plan reflects the cooperation after the war between functional agencies of the Governments of Vietnam and the US in the spirit of "Close the past and look toward the future".

The plan implements a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) on assisting Vietnam to improve its capacity in examining human remains recovered from the war between the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) and USAID.

The Centre for DNA Identification under the Institute of Biotechnology is the coordinator for the cooperation under the MOI framework. 

According to Patrick White, the ICMP hopes to help relevant Vietnamese agencies in the search for those missing in the war through the plan./.