The central province of Quang Tri expects the U.S. government, via foreign non-governmental organizations, to continue to fund mine action projects so that it could be the first locality in Vietnam to be free from bombs and mines by 2025, said an official.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Hung made the call while receiving U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper on January 11.
Mr. Hung also called on the U.S. Department of State to help the province implement projects in support of people with disabilities and those infected with agent orange/dioxin.
Additionally, the official proposed the ambassador promote U.S. businesses to explore investment opportunities in the wind, solar, and gas thermal power sectors.
Ambassador Knapper, in reply, stressed that the U.S. government vowed to carry on war aftermath settlement in Vietnam.
On the same day, the diplomat visited the Road 9 National Martyrs’ Cemetery in Dong Ha city of Quang Tri province.
Since 1996, the U.S. government has given Quang Tri $91 million in aid of mine action projects. Quang Tri was the most heavily bombed province during the war, with 81.36% of its area contaminated with bombs and mines. So far, the province has cleaned up over 275 million square meters of land. (Tin Tuc [1], Tuoi Tre [2], Vietnam Plus [3])