Vietnam expects more UNDP support for UXO clearance and peacekeeping

During a meeting held on July 28 in Hanoi with Kanni Wignaraja, assistant secretary general of the UN and deputy regional director for the Asia-Pacific at UNDP, Deputy Minister Chien affirmed that the Ministry places great importance on ties with the UN, the UNDP, and partners in dealing with war consequences.

The Ministry has a strong desire to receive greater financial and technical assistance from the UNDP, as well as learn from its experience in building an information database of mine action, he said. He put forward the suggestion that the UNDP closely co-ordinates with the Ministry’s agencies in implementing the Korea-Vietnam Mine Action project (KVMAP).  

He also proposed the expansion of co-operation between the Ministry, the UNDP, and other good-will partners in remediation of chemical/dioxin consequences through resource support activities as a means of strengthening efficiency in researching, analyzing, and treating toxic chemicals/dioxin. This is in addition to improving the living conditions and reducing the impact of toxic chemical/dioxin exposure for victims in Vietnam.

Co-operation between the nation and UNDP, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and other international organizations in this field has greatly contributed to reducing the number of bomb, mine and UXO victims.

This is especially true in areas impacted by previous conflicts like central localities such as Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, and Thua Thien – Hue, and the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang, with land being cleared for production, he added.

He expressed hope that Wignaraja will pay greater attention to supporting and further promoting effective co-operation activities between UNDP and other parties in overcoming post-war bombs, mines, and UXO in the country.

For UN peacekeeping activities, the Vietnamese official affirmed that the nation has recorded a range of significant achievements after eight years of participating in the UN peacekeeping mission.

Vietnam is an advocate for deeper participation in UN peacekeeping operations, he affirmed, expressing hope that the UNDP in Vietnam will support and promote co-operation activities in the field and continue to work closely alongside the Vietnamese Defence Ministry. This will be done to organise an international conference on women, peace, and security in the fourth quarter of the year.

In response, Wignaraja said she hopes the UNDP and the Vietnamese Defence Ministry will co-ordinate more effectively to carry out projects that not only support demining efforts, but also contribute to Vietnamese people living a happier and more prosperous life.

She thanked the Ministry for its support for and co-ordination with the UNDP to implement the KVMAP in the 2018 to 2022 period, as well as to  prepare procedures for approval of the Vietnam-Korea Peace Village project and others in this field.

Wignaraja outlined her appreciative nature for Vietnamese commitments and achievements in participating in UN peacekeeping activities, saying she was impressed at the percentage of Vietnamese female soldiers participating in UN peacekeeping activities, a figure which is higher than the UN’s proposal.

She affirmed that UNDP will give continued support to the country in overcoming consequences of war-time bombs, mines, and UXO consequences, as well as strengthening Vietnam’s role in UN peacekeeping operation, she added.