International Mine Awareness Day: Supporting Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Irish Aid supports MAG international who works to clear unexploded ordinance (UXO) in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces in Vietnam.

Irish Aid Key Partner Country Vietnam is the second most bombed country in the world, with an estimate of in excess of 14 million tonnes of ordnance delivered during the Vietnam-American conflict.

Thirty seven years after the end of the war, the Vietnamese army estimates that there is still between 350,000 and 600,000 tons of explosive remnants of war (ERW) covering approximately 15% of the land surface area. This contamination continues to place communities at risk and restricts access to land required for housing, agriculture and infrastructure.

Irish Aid has supported the removal of 313 items of UXO having completed 291 Dangerous Area spot tasks, 19 Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Response tasks, and clearing 3,000 square meters of land. 

The majority of the contamination is concentrate in the central provinces, which were the location for many of the battles during the Vietnam-American war.

Irish Aid supports MAG international who works to clear unexploded ordinance (UXO) in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces in Vietnam. This work is essential for the development of sustainable livelihoods in communities. As well as working towards clearing UXOs Irish Aid supports the development of national and provincial capacities in Mine Action management to deliver increased value for money for Vietnam’s national UXO program.

Through this programme, Irish Aid has supported the removal of 313 items of UXO having completed 291 Dangerous Area spot tasks, 19 Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Response tasks, and clearing 3,000 square meters of land.