US Ambassador to Vietnam commits to supporting Quang Tri in mine clearance efforts

Vice Chairman of Quang Tri People’s Committee Hoang Nam on April 2 met with a delegation from the US Embassy in Vietnam, led by Ambassador Marc Evans Knapper. During the meeting, Nam emphasized the significance of the US delegation’s visit to Quang Tri, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States.

Nam highlighted that in recent years, the US government has supported Quang Tri through international non-governmental organizations to implement programs and projects in various fields. These include mine clearance, assistance for people with disabilities, the construction of schools and healthcare facilities, disaster prevention and mitigation, and the strengthening of emergency response capacity.

Overview of the meeting. Photo: Tran Tuyen

Among these initiatives, mine clearance efforts have received approximately $104.8 million in funding. To date, more than 380 million square meters of land have been cleared, including 246.37 million square meters of cluster munition-contaminated areas, which accounts for about 39.8% of the confirmed contaminated land.

Quang Tri is one of the key provinces in Vietnam involved in the search for American service members missing in action (MIA) during the war, with the highest number of cases nationwide. In line with the humanitarian cooperation between the two governments, the province has prioritized MIA recovery efforts. Nam urged the ambassador to help facilitate coordination with the US State Department to expedite searches for remains that have already been identified. He also called for increased support in providing information and site access to assist Vietnam in locating its own missing soldiers.

He requested continued US funding for mine clearance projects in Quang Tri through international NGOs, with the goal of making Quang Tri the first landmine-free province in Vietnam by 2035. He also expressed hope that the US government would continue assisting Quang Tri in strengthening its mine action coordination efforts so that the province can maintain and expand its highly effective demining model nationwide. Additionally, he asked the US to consider supporting level-3 training in explosive ordnance disposal for the Quang Tri Mine Action Center and to provide operational funding for the center beyond 2025.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper and Vice Chairman Hoang Nam. Photo: Tran Tuyen

Quang Tri has submitted a formal request to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to collaborate with the US government on implementing the Pacific Friendship program. Nam called on the ambassador to support the province’s participation in this initiative.

Ambassador Knapper praised the Pacific Friendship initiative, expressing confidence that it would be successfully implemented as part of the 30th-anniversary celebrations of US-Vietnam diplomatic relations. He confirmed that a US working delegation would visit Quang Tri soon to coordinate and assist in planning the program.

The US Embassy is currently accelerating efforts to locate and repatriate the remains of American soldiers in Vietnam while also advancing support for Vietnam’s search and recovery of its missing soldiers.

Regarding mine clearance, Knapper reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for continued US government funding and resources for demining programs in Quang Tri. He pledged ongoing support for the province’s efforts to clear unexploded ordnance in the years ahead.

Tran Tuyen - Ngoc Mai