Quang Tri Department of Foreign Affairs informed that two mine clearance and remediation projects in Quang Tri, including Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) and PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN), resumed operations on February 24 after a period of interruption due to the suspension of the US Government's international aid policy.
EOD1/PTVN mobile bomb disposal team measures and inspects the bomb before moving it to the assembly point - Photo: QTMAC
“From February 24, workers at the NPA and Peace Tree Vietnam projects will return to work. For now, we can only inform you that these projects are back in operation. The organization will announce the specific time when they will resume operations later, as they are still in the evaluation phase,” said Thai Huu Lieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
According to Mr. Lieu, the NPA project has about 250 workers, while the Vietnam Peace Tree has more than 200 people. The resumption of these two projects after a temporary suspension is very good news for workers and local authorities. Because, for many years, programs and projects on surveying and clearing mines implemented by foreign non-governmental organizations with funding from the US Department of State have made an important contribution to reducing the risk of remaining mines, freeing up land for livelihood development, and bringing safety to the community in Quang Tri.
Previously, the US Government requested foreign non-governmental organizations receiving funding from the US Government, including the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to suspend operations for 90 days, starting from January 25, 2025, to conduct assessments and reviews. This decision applies globally, including Quang Tri province.
In Quang Tri, the above decision has affected the ongoing non-governmental projects related to the survey and clearance of bombs and mines funded by the US Department of State through the following organizations: Mines Advisory Group (MAG), Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), PeaceTrees Vietnam and the project to support people with disabilities and victims of Agent Orange/dioxin from the non-refundable ODA of USAID. In particular, the decision has affected more than 1,000 local workers working on the projects.
Emphasizing the importance of these programs and projects, on February 19, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Steering Committee for overcoming the consequences of war in Quang Tri province, Hoang Nam, signed a letter to Mr. Marc E. Knapper - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Vietnam, requesting the Ambassador and his colleagues at the US Embassy to report and propose that the US Department of State consider exempting or shortening the implementation period of the suspension of international aid policies or conducting a review and assessment while allowing the programs and projects to continue to be implemented.
According to Mr. Hoang Nam, maintaining funding for these projects not only supports Quang Tri province in overcoming the consequences of war, but also contributes to ensuring community safety and promoting sustainable socio-economic development.
At the same time, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Hoang Nam signed a document reporting on the suspension of projects funded by the US Government in Quang Tri to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider and have appropriate communication channels with the US Government, requesting the US Government, the US Department of State and US development cooperation partners to exempt or shorten the evaluation time of aid programs to overcome the consequences of war in Vietnam or to conduct both review and evaluation and allow programs and projects to continue to be implemented according to the approved decision of the Prime Minister.
Quang Hai
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/2-du-an-khac-phuc-hau-qua-bom-min-o-quang-tri-hoat-dong-tro-lai-tu-ngay-24-2-191882.htm
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