UXO Lao and other NGOs regularly conduct awareness programmes on the dangers of UXO in community halls and schools. - Starpic
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): The Government of the Republic of Korea, the Government of Laos and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), have signed a US$11 million project to support a sustainable UXO sector in Laos.
The Korean government, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is contributing US$11 million as the third phase of their support to the UXO sector based on best practices and lessons learned through a partnership between KOICA, UNDP and the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare which has been ongoing since 2015.
The main objective of the Support to the Establishment of a Sustainable UXO Sector Project (2022-2026) is to strengthen the national ownership and greater resilience of the sector by increasing the capacity of the National Regulatory Authority for UXO and Mine Action Sector (NRA) and Humanitarian Lao Army teams.
Through this project, more land will be released for socio-economic development, while community exposure to the UXO threat will be reduced and victims’ rights upheld.
The project will be implemented as part of the Lao government and UNDP’s UXO Programme titled Supporting Effective and Efficiency in the UXO Sector, to contribute to the achievement of SDG18 and Safe Path Forward III, which is also taking place from 2022-2026.
Through UNDP’s programmatic and technical support, the project will implement schemes for UXO survey and clearance by the 20 Humanitarian Lao Army teams, explosive ordnance risk reduction, capacity enhancement of the NRA, and stronger legislative environment of the sector.
