Vietnam officially inaugurated a U.S.-funded training range for explosive ordnance disposal in Ba Vi District, Hanoi on Monday.

With a total investment exceeding US$700,000, this range project got off the ground in July last year, utilizing non-refundable aid provided by the Office of Defense Cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam.

The two-hectare facility meets the International Mine Action Standards and includes classrooms, kitchen and sanitation areas, mine detection zones, detonation areas, parking, internal roads, and equipment calibration zones.

This marks a key milestone in Vietnam’s ongoing effort to implement its national mine action program for the 2010-25 period, enhancing safety and capacity in unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance while facilitating the Vietnam National Mine Action Center’s development into a national-level training hub.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, said that UXO remains a serious threat to lives, health, and economic development across Vietnam.

Despite years of clearance efforts, the goal of clearing 5.6 million hectares of suspected contaminated land nationwide requires substantial resources.

Tan praised the U.S. for its continued support in post-war recovery efforts, especially in UXO clearance -- an area of growing strategic cooperation as both countries celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper highlighted that the new facility not only reflects the two nations' shared commitment to peace and security but also symbolizes their growing defense partnership. 

The project is part of the Vietnam-U.S. bilateral cooperation plan in the 2023-28 period focused on post-war remediation.

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