The Vietnamese government puts great emphasis on dealing with the aftermath of war, and so they invited organizations and donors to a seminar on 5 December to discuss efforts that had been, and should be, made. The Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, delivered the opening speech.
- Vietnam spent a lot of the 20th century fighting invading wars. Now the wars are over, but the suffering doesn't end when the wars do, Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung said. The Prime Minister also highlighted international cooperation within the mine action sector, and encouraged continued donor support to overcome the legacy of war.
Norway highlighted the Convention on Cluster Munitions
The Norwegian Ambassador Ståle T. Risa used his speech during the seminar to underline not only the good work that had been done, but also emphasizing what Norway sees as an important step forward - ratifying the Convention on Cluster Munitions:
- Vietnam is the second most bombed country in the world. Cluster munitions and unexploded ordnances still cause severe impacts on people's daily lives, with annual casualties reported, the Ambassador said, adding that the Convention provides a framework for positive actions to address the harm caused.
The Ambassador was impressed with the magnitude of Vietnamese capacity on mine action. He emphasized that Norway is and will continue to be an engaged development partner within the mine action sector in Vietnam, and underlined that Norway strongly encourages Vietnam to accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions in the near future.
- We stand ready to support Vietnam in the process of joining the Convention, the Ambassador added.
The Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam, H.E. Mr. Ståle Torstein Risa spoke during the Seminar on Joint Efforts to Overcome Bomb and Mine Aftermath. Photo: Balder VestadThe Norwegian People's Aid are active within the mine sector in Vietnam. To read more about some of the work they do in Vietnam, click here.