US ambassador joins mine clearing activities in north-central Vietnam
Friday, January 13, 2023, 16:33 GMT+7
U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper pressed the button to detonate wartime bombs and shells discovered in Quang Binh Province, as part of his trip to the north-central locality on Thursday.
Ambassador Knapper on Thursday accompanied the Mine Advisory Group (MAG) during their demining activities in Quang Binh Province.
The diplomat witnessed the process of clearing wartime bombs and unexploded ordnance (UXO) performed by the MAG.
He was invited to press the button to detonate a Blu63 bomblet and a HE37 shell discovered in Cu Nam Commune, Bo Trach District.
In 2020, with the support of the U.S. government, three organizations including the MAG, Norwegian People's Aid, and PeaceTrees Vietnam established a project alliance and cooperated to find and defuse wartime UXO in Quang Binh Province.
The MAG has been operating in Quang Binh since 2003.
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| A representative of the Mine Advisory Group (MAG) talks about the group’s operation in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam, January 12, 2022. Photo: Hong Van / Tuoi Tre |
Ambassador Knapper expressed his admiration and gratitude for the work of the MAG, adding that it means a lot to local people, residents, and Vietnam in general.
What the MAG has been doing here shows the U.S. commitment to working with Vietnam to solve problems left behind by the war.
Located near the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Cu Nam is one of the two communes with the highest level of UXO contamination in Quang Binh.
From May 2020 to December 2022, the project cleared more than 23 million square meters of land and safely disposed of nearly 17,000 explosives left over from the war.
The project also organizes many mine prevention training sessions to make the lives of local residents, especially children, safer.
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| U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper takes part in mine clearing activities in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam, January 12, 2022. Photo: Hong Van / Tuoi Tre |
Ambassador Knapper was on a business trip to Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Tri, and Quang Binh Provinces from January 9 to 12, during which he reviewed mine and UXO clearance projects in the three localities as well as took part in several other activities.
The diplomat also attended the inauguration of two kindergartens, a medical center, offered incense at the Road 9 National Martyrs’ Cemetery, and offered flowers at General Vo Nguyen Giap's residence.
Such activities in Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Tri, and Quang Binh reflect the U.S.-Vietnam cooperation in areas such as resolving post-war problems, clearing UXO, and providing support for people injured by the war, the ambassador stated.
The U.S. also offers assistance in education and health and is seeking different ways to further strengthen trade and investment ties.
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