Lao and Irish officials join representatives of the Halo Trust for a photo at the project launching ceremony in Vientiane on Wednesday.

Ireland injects €1,000,000 for UXO clearance in Savannakhet

The Government of Ireland is providing €1,000,000 for unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance in Savannakhet province.
A project launching ceremony on ‘Humanitarian UXO Clearance in Savannakhet province, Phase II’ was held at the Lao Plaza Hotel in Vientiane on Wednesday between the UXO clearance organisation, the HALO Trust, and Laos’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by the National Regulatory Authority for the UXO/Mine Action Sector.

A Halo Trust officer engaged in UXO clearance in Savannakhet province.

Ambassador Deirdre Ní Fhallúin attends the project launching ceremony.

The ceremony was witnessed by the Ambassador of Ireland to Laos, Ms Deirdre Ní Fhallúin, and representatives from the two sides.
It authorises an 18-month UXO clearance project in Savannakhet province with anticipated funding of €1,000,000 from the Embassy of Ireland.
The grant comprises €500,000 this year, and an expected further amount of €500,000 in 2025.
The project represents a continuation of Ireland’s support for the HALO Trust’s ongoing efforts to address UXO contamination in Laos, following the success of an initial €300,000 project in 2023 that saw the clearance of 305,391 square metres of high priority UXO-contaminated land.
UXO contamination in Laos, mostly in the form of cluster munitions dropped during the Second Indochina War, is amongst the highest in the world.
Extensive UXO contamination continues to pose a risk to the livelihoods, socio-economic development, and quality of life of those living in affected communities.
The burden of UXO contamination is particularly heavy in the districts of Xepon and Vilabouly in eastern Savannakhet province, the two target locations of this Irish-funded project.
The MOU foresees the clearance of at least 870,000 square metres of high-priority UXO contaminated land in and around some of the most bombing-affected villages in Xepon and Vilabouly. Additionally, it will provide for at least 1,080 risk education sessions throughout Savannakhet province to inform local populations about the dangers of UXO and how best to prevent accidents.
Speaking at the project launching ceremony, Ambassador Ní Fhallúin said “Disarmament and non-proliferation are cornerstones of Ireland’s foreign policy. Our work with the HALO Trust in Laos is part of this global commitment. The destruction of explosives and clearance of land for agricultural use is vital in ensuring that families in rural areas no longer need to choose between taking risks and going hungry.”

The HALO Trust Laos Country Director, William Hunter, thanked the Embassy of Ireland for their support, saying “The Government of Ireland is a long-term supporter of the HALO Trust’s life-saving work around the globe, and its commitment to helping address UXO contamination in some of the poorest communities in Laos continues this notable legacy.”

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 5, 2024)