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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dear LWG members,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>As you might already know, VNMAC is going to organize a mine action event at their new working premises tomorrow, Thursday 20 Oct. Agenda is attached. For anyone who haven’t received the invitation, and wish to attend the event, pls. contact VNMAC.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>VNMAC is contacting IC (VVAF) asking for a speech representing LWG members in Vietnam at the event. Bekim, Gus and I have prepared the below speech. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>We are very sorry for this short notice, and would appreciate if you could provide your comments/inputs by 4pm today, so that we could translate into Vietnamese and send over to VNMAC tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thank you very much,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thu Ha<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>IC (VVAF)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>--------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>Coordinated NGO Statement on Mine Action to Government of Vietnam<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>Hanoi, Vietnam<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>Thursday, October 20, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>Distinguished Guests,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>I am here to deliver a brief statement on behalf of national and international non-governmental organizations of the Landmine Working Group, which includes more than 10 active mine action NGOs working throughout Vietnam. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>Firstly I would like to express my thanks to the National Mine Action Steering Committee for inviting us to participate in and speak at this Conference, which marks a significant milestone of the development of the national mine action programme and the Mine Action NGO community. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>Mine Action NGOs have been contributing to the development of mine action in Vietnam since early 90s, through a wide range of activities ranging from survey and clearance to risk education, victim assistance, coordination and capacity building. We’ve seen the renovation of mine action in Vietnam over the years, and the encouraging achievement of the objectives of 504 Program for the period 2010-2015 as announced in the last Mine Action Development Partnership Conference, organized in March 2014, with the presence of the Prime Minister. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>We are pleased to be here today at the new working premises of VNMAC, to congratulate the Steering Committee 504, for the recent significant developments of 504 Program, including the completion of the ERW/landmines impact survey, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>the establishment of the Vietnam Mine Action Partnership Group <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>the development of the new Government Decree on Management of Mine Action. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>We look forward to participate in the consultative process to complete the New Government Decree and the coming Circular guiding the implementation of the Decree.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>It is these activities, along with the increased openness, transparency and coordination that have helped to increase the level of international donor funding, with long term commitments from donors such as the Government of the United States increasing its contributions and others such as the Governments of Japan, Korea, Ireland, Norway, and the UK becoming consistent donors, which in turn has facilitated the geographical expansion of NGO Mine Action activities in central Vietnam. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a name="_GoBack"></a><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>Moving forwards we believe that we can continue to contribute and expect to be considered part of the national mine action programme. As the LWG we look forward to coordinating more closely with the national mine action authorities, through work with Vietnam Mine Action Centre and the newly established Vietnam Mine Action Partnership Group.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>----------------------------</span><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'>B<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>