Society

Belgian King, Queen visit HCM City

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium visited the War Remnants Museum and met with children affected by Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin in Ho Chi Minh City on April 3, as part of their ongoing state visit to Vietnam.

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium meet with children affected by Agent Orange/dioxin in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium meet with children affected by Agent Orange/dioxin in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium visited the War Remnants Museum and met with children affected by Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin in Ho Chi Minh City on April 3, as part of their ongoing state visit to Vietnam.

At the museum in District 3, the King and the Queen toured an exhibition on the consequences of AO/dioxin. They also attended "Agent Orange: From Past to Future", an event organised by the museum, where they learned about the latest technologies and achievements in cleaning up AO-contaminated areas in Vietnam, by Haemers Technologies, a Belgian company.

Speaking at the event, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, and Development Cooperation Maxime Prevot highlighted the rapid geopolitical changes worldwide. Amid these changes, he reaffirmed Belgium’s steadfast support for Vietnam. One of the key demonstrations of this commitment is the Belgian Chamber of Representatives' adoption of a resolution in support of the AO/dioxin victims in Vietnam.

vinh-nghiem-pagoda.jpg
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium take a group photo with monks at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda.(Photo: VNA)

He emphasised that Belgium stands ready to support its Vietnamese friends through scientific and technical cooperation in the treatment and cleaning of dioxin-contaminated soil, backed by a solid financial solution.

On this occasion, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were also introduced to the Aquitara Impact Fund, a Belgian investment fund dedicated to partnering with Haemers Technologies. The fund aims to integrate environmental restoration with economic redevelopment by cleaning up contaminated land, developing eco-industrial zones, and incorporating renewable energy solutions.

Earlier in the day, the Belgian monarchs visited Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in District 3 to explore Vietnamese Buddhist culture. Before that, they had a meeting with Nguyen Van Nen, Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee./.

VNA
#Begium #War Remnants Museum #Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin #dioxin-contaminated soil #HCM City Belgium
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