Society

Vietnam, US beef up post-war cooperation with launching of UXO disposal training range

The two-hectare range broke ground in July 2024, supported by a grant of over 700,000 USD from the US Government. It has classrooms, kitchen and sanitation blocks, assembly zones, mine detection and disposal areas, parking spaces, internal roads, and a calibration zone for mine clearance equipment.

Clearing UXO in central Quang Tri province (Photo: VNA)
Clearing UXO in central Quang Tri province (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – A new training range for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) has recently been inaugurated in Hanoi’s outlying district of Ba Vi, marking another step in the US and Vietnam’s decades-long effort to heal the scars of war.

The facility was funded by the Office of Defence Cooperation (ODC) under the US Embassy in Vietnam, and delivered to the Vietnam National Mine Action Centre (VNMAC), as part of Vietnam’s National Mine Action Programme for the 2010–2025 period, which seeks to address the deadly legacy of unexploded bombs and mines left from the war.

The two-hectare range broke ground in July 2024, supported by a grant of over 700,000 USD from the US Government. It has classrooms, kitchen and sanitation blocks, assembly zones, mine detection and disposal areas, parking spaces, internal roads, and a calibration zone for mine clearance equipment.

Designed to meet the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS), the range aims to enhance Vietnam’s capacity to safely clear unexploded ordnance (UXO). It is also expected to transform VNMAC into a fully capable national hub for mine action training, enabling more effective training and operations.

The inauguration held special significance, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties and following the recent elevation of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

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Collecting UXO in Ha Giang province in July 2023 (Photo: VNA)

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper said since 1993, the US has provided a total of 234 million USD for Vietnam’s UXO clearance, dioxin remediation at Da Nang and Bien Hoa airports, and support to people with disabilities. He praised the contributions of the Vietnamese Government and non-governmental organisations, including Norwegian People’s Aid and PeaceTrees Vietnam, which have worked alongside local partners like the Quang Tri Mine Action Centre.

This facility is a testament to the two nations’ shared commitment to peace and security, reinforcing Vietnam’s role as a proactive, responsible member of the international community, he said, adding that the project reflects closer bilateral defence ties, fulfilling a key component of the 2023–2028 defence cooperation plan focused on UXO remediation.

Maj. Gen. Lance Okamura, Deputy Commanding General for the US Army Pacific (USARPAC), called the facility’s opening a major milestone in the ongoing humanitarian mine action programme, and the result of years of meticulous planning./.

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