FILE PHOTO: The UXO clearance team removes a large bomb in Kasy district in Aug, 2023. During the Indochina War from 1964 to 1973, US warplanes dropped more than two million tonnes of bombs on Laos, equivalent to about one tonne for every man and woman, making Laos the most heavily bombed nation on earth per capita. - Vientiane Times/ANN
VIENTIANE: The Government of Japan has provided US$4.5 million to help speed up the clearance of unexploded ordnance in three southern provinces.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Japan to Laos signed and exchanged notes on the provision of grant aid for the project, according to a statement from the ministry.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Anouparb Vongnorkeo signed the exchange note on behalf of the National Regulatory Authority for UXO/Mine Action Sector, along with the Ambassador of Japan to Laos, Koizumi Tsutomu, representing the Japanese government.
The grant, worth 673 million yen, will support the third phase of a project titled “Local Development through Acceleration of the Clearance of Unexploded Ordnance in the Southern Provinces of Champasak, Salavan and Xekong”, where UXO contamination remains high.
The funds will enable UXO Lao to clear confirmed hazardous areas and utilise modern equipment such as heavy and light transport vehicles, including trucks with trailers and pickup trucks, as well as advanced UXO detectors like Vallon and Ebinger models.
Digital tablets will also be supplied to improve data collection, reporting and monitoring in the field.
The project includes financial support for management activities such as socio-economic impact surveys and audits to ensure operations are transparent and effective.
By making more land safe, the project is expected to boost rural livelihoods, agriculture and infrastructure development.
Anouparb said the funds would help Laos address the deadly legacy of war and improve the quality of life in communities living with UXO threats.
The project aligns with the elevation of bilateral ties between Laos and Japan to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, aiming for a future of peace, security and prosperity, he added.
Ambassador Koizumi said UXO clearance is a humanitarian task and a key condition for sustainable development. This third phase of support reflects Japan’s long-standing commitment to helping Laos return safe land to communities and build a more secure future.
UXO clearance remains a top priority under the Lao government’s Ninth National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2021-2025 and is part of Sustainable Development Goal 18 “Lives Safe from UXO”.
Decades after the war ended, unexploded ordnance continues to threaten lives, limit farmland use, and slow the development of infrastructure across the country.
Japan has been a major partner in UXO clearance for many years, supporting operations, equipment and training to strengthen Laos’ capacity to remove unexploded ordnance effectively.
Unexploded ordnance remains a critical issue in Laos, with deadly devices continuing to threaten civilians in their everyday lives as a result of the legacy of war.
During the Indochina War from 1964 to 1973, US warplanes dropped more than two million tonnes of bombs on Laos, equivalent to about one tonne for every man and woman, making Laos the most heavily bombed nation on earth per capita.
An estimated 30 per cent of the bombs dropped failed to detonate, contaminating 87,000 square kilometres of land across the country, with accidental explosions continuing to main and kill innocent civilians, according to the National Regulatory Authority for UXO/Mine Action. - Vientiane Times/ANN
