VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): The Government of New Zealand will provide an additional four years of funding through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 2021 to 2024 totalling NZ$10,300,000 (over US$7.3 million or over 68 billion kip) for the UXO sector in Laos.
New Zealand will continue its support to UXO Lao’s operations in Xieng Khuang province under this new four-year commitment, including its Area Clearance, Non-Technical and Technical Survey and Mine Risk Education activities, according to a press release from UNDP.
New Zealand will also increase its support given to the National Regulatory Authority to the UXO/Mine Action Sector in the Lao PDR (NRA), through both capacity development support to the NRA’s quality management and clearance units, as well as the provision of technical advisory support aimed at strengthening the UXO National Training Centre.
This essential funding will ensure that the Lao government meets its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Lao PDR-specific SDG18 “Lives Safe from UXO”.
Project activities will closely align with the 9th National-Socio Economic Development Plan for 2021-2025 being prepared by the government, as well as the next long-term UXO national strategy covering the period from 2021 to 2030.
Under the most recent project between 2016 and 2020, New Zealand focused its support on addressing the UXO problem in Xieng Khuang, which is the second most contaminated province in Laos.
UXO contamination poses a significant threat to human security and continues to hamper the development potential of affected communities.
The project activities were implemented by UXO Lao, a national organisation operating in nine of Laos’ most heavily UXO-contaminated provinces.
As a direct result of the support provided under this project, the number of victims in Xieng Khuang fell from 29 in 2016 to six in 2020.
This can be attributed not only to UXO survey and clearance activities, but also to the increased focus on Mine Risk Education (MRE) activities within the province. In 2020 alone, the UXO Lao MRE teams visited 39 villages, reaching a total audience of 38,563 (18,580 men and 19,983 women).
The impact of New Zealand’s support in Xieng Khuang can be seen through the results listed above and the benefits for people living in affected areas.
One of those who has benefitted from the support provided is Nouvang, who lives with her husband and three sons in Nakhampang village, Paek district.
In May 2019, a UXO Lao clearance team visited her land, where they found and destroyed 20 unexploded devices.
After the land was cleared, Nouvang started growing more lettuce and dug a small fishpond. She now employs locals to cut the grass and help grow the crops, as the land productivity has greatly increased.
When asked what the support has meant to her, she said “I cannot find the words to express my sincere gratitude to UXO Lao Xieng Khuang.
" I truly appreciate the work you have done on our land and I hope UXO Lao continues clearing more land, so it is completely free from unexploded ordnance.” - Vientiane Times/Asia News Network
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