US adds hundreds of millions of dollars to war legacy remediation in Vietnam

The signing ceremony was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, who is also Head of the National Steering Committee 701 for addressing the consequences of bombs, mines and chemicals after the war in Vietnam, and US Ambassador to Vietnam Jennifer Wicks.

The agreements build upon the bilateral memorandum of understanding signed on October 31, 2025.

Under the new agreements, the US is allocating an additional US$130 million for the Bien Hoa airbase dioxin remediation project, raising total US non-refundable ODA for the initiative to approximately US$430 million. Launched in 2019, the project has successfully cleared about 41 hectares of contaminated land, with completion targeted for 2031 to treat around 500,000 cubic meters of soil.

Concurrently, a US$91 million non-refundable aid package was finalized to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities, regardless of cause, in heavily sprayed and key provinces, initially deploying in Ca Mau and Quang Ngai alongside existing localities.

The Senior Lieutenant General praised the close coordination between Vietnamese and US agencies, highlighting war legacy cooperation as a vital pillar of the bilateral partnership.

He reaffirmed that the Ministry of National Defence has approved an increased domestic counterpart fund exceeding VND350 billion (around US$13.5 million) to ensure the successful implementation of both projects.

Ambassador Wicks emphasized that the agreements underscore a shared commitment to a brighter future, while hailing Vietnam’s growing leadership in dealing with war legacy issues and building a strong foundation for bilateral ties.

Vietnam, US continue close cooperation in war legacy remediation

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang met with US Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs John Noh in New York on the morning of September 21 (US time).

Minister hopes for continued Vietnam-US cooperation in war legacy remediation

General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence, on September 8 held a phone call with Patrick Leahy, who served as a Senator from 1975-2023 and President Pro Tempore of the US Senate from 2012 to 2015 and from 2021 to 2023 as part of his official visit to the US.